U’s announce retained list following promotion to Championship

OXFORD United are in talks with three of their out of contract Wembley promotion heroes, the club has confirmed.

Josh Murphy scored both goals as the U’s beat Bolton Wanderers 2-0 in the Sky Bet League One play-off final, but sees his deal expire this summer.

This newspaper understands that United made an offer to Murphy within 24 hours of promotion on Saturday afternoon, while the U’s are also in conversation regarding new contracts for Joe Bennett and Josh McEachran.

Midfield duo Marcus McGuane and Josh Johnson have had one-year options in their deals triggered, while winger Kyle Edwards will remain with the club while he continues his rehabilitation from a hamstring injury.

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Josh Murphy celebrates his second goal at Wembley (Image: Mike Allen)

Meanwhile, United quartet Billy Bodin, Marcus Browne, James Henry and Steve Seddon have been released and will leave the club this summer.

Bodin, Browne and Henry were part of the U’s squad which earned promotion this season, while Seddon spent the campaign on loan at Burton Albion.

Henry’s departure marks the end of a seven-year stint with United, having amassed 260 appearances in all competitions since joining on a free transfer in July 2017, following his release by Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The 34-year-old scored 58 goals for the U’s, including a hat-trick in the 3-1 win at home to Lincoln City in August 2021. Only 10 players have scored more goals for United in the club’s history.

This season, he netted twice in 18 appearances, with those goals coming in the form of the 90th minute equaliser in the 2-2 draw at home to Portsmouth, and the fourth in the 4-0 win at Burton Albion.

James Henry on the ball earlier this season (Image: Mike Allen)

Across three stints with the U’s, Browne made 119 appearances, and scored 19 goals.

He initially joined on loan from West Ham United for the 2018/19 season, before returning for the second half of the 2019/20 campaign, this time on loan from Middlesbrough.

The 26-year-old winger then signed from the Boro for an undisclosed fee on January deadline day in 2022.

A hamstring injury, and then a recurrence of it, saw Browne miss a significant chunk of the season, limiting him to 15 appearances, including as a substitute in both legs of the play-off semi-final against Peterborough United.

Marcus Browne challenges for the ball (Image: Mike Allen)

Billy Bodin enjoyed a three-year stint with Oxford United (Image: Mike Allen)

Bodin announced his departure on Tuesday evening, and netted 25 goals in 107 games during a three-year spell with United, having joined as a free agent from Preston North End.

The 32-year-old scored nine goals in 41 games this season, with his last strike being the audacious lob in the 5-0 victory against Peterborough last month, an effort that was shortlisted for the League One goal of the month.

Seddon joined the U’s for an undisclosed fee from Birmingham City in July 2021. He played 58 times for the club, scoring four times, and had loan spells at Cambridge United and Burton.