Oxford United head coach Aaron Ramsey has confirmed that winger Stanley Mills will leave the Kassam Stadium in January, with a deal already agreed for the player to join Preston North End in the winter window.

The announcement, made on the eve of the new League One season, is hardly the start Ramsey would have scripted. Oxford are operating under a temporary transfer embargo, which the club hopes to have lifted before January, and that restriction means they cannot immediately replace Mills. The timing, Ramsey acknowledged, is far from ideal.

"He's agreed a deal to go to Preston in January," Ramsey told BBC Radio Oxford. "It's far from ideal being one day before the beginning of the season but what it does mean is that we get Stan now for the next four or five months."

The plan, then, is for Mills to remain at Oxford and play out the first half of the campaign before completing his move. Ramsey was at pains to frame this as something workable rather than a crisis, pointing to the professionalism the player had shown during pre-season.

"He'll be wanting to put in performances for the fans, but also for 20 of his mates in that locker room as well," Ramsey said. "Then in January we can be really aggressive in the market and strengthen our squad."

Whether that optimism survives contact with reality depends partly on the embargo being resolved. Oxford have not confirmed the nature of the restrictions, and a transfer embargo that runs into the winter window would significantly complicate that promised aggression in the market.

Mills, a right-sided attacker, joined Oxford from Everton in January 2025 after an earlier loan spell at the club. He has made 84 appearances in all for the U's, contributing five goals and ten assists. Last season he played 43 times as Oxford were relegated from the Championship, scoring three goals with four assists. He arrives at this League One campaign, therefore, as one of the more experienced players in the division at this level, even if his future is already settled elsewhere.

From a squad-building perspective, the situation is awkward. Oxford head into a competitive third-tier season knowing their first-choice winger has one foot out of the door. Opponents will be aware of it too. Any downturn in form from Mills, or any sign the player's focus is drifting towards his next club, will be scrutinised closely by supporters who have endured a relegation already.

Ramsey, in his early weeks as head coach, is managing a situation that is not of his making. His framing of it as an opportunity to "be really aggressive" in January is understandable press-conference pragmatism, but Oxford fans will rightly want to see who comes through the door before they take that at face value.

The U's opened their League One season at home to MK Dons on Saturday. Mills, for now, is expected to be involved. What that looks like in November or December, with a pre-agreed exit looming, is a question Ramsey will have to manage carefully over the coming months.

Frequently asked

When is Stanley Mills leaving Oxford United?
Mills has agreed a deal to join Preston North End in the January transfer window. He is expected to remain at Oxford and continue playing until then.
Why is Oxford United under a transfer embargo?
Oxford United are currently subject to a temporary transfer embargo, though the club has not publicly confirmed the specific reasons. They hope to have the restriction lifted before the January window opens.
How many appearances has Stanley Mills made for Oxford United?
Mills has made 84 appearances for Oxford United, scoring five goals and providing ten assists since joining permanently from Everton in January 2025.