OXFORD United tying down Sam Baldock for a further two years is a significant move for the club.

The striker’s initial spell from February until the end of the campaign was cut short by injury, but the 33-year-old showed just what he is about in seven appearances in a United shirt.

Four goals and a mouth-watering partnership up front with Matty Taylor in a 3-4-1-2 formation endeared Baldock – who grew up a U’s supporter – to the fans.

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Tactically, Baldock allows flexibility with formation, with Karl Robinson able to switch from his preferred 4-3-3 to the 3-4-1-2 when he has both Baldock and Taylor available.

The former Derby County man packed all his experience, guile and knack for goals into his seven games, before a knee injury ended his campaign.

And that is where the only risk of offering Baldock a two-year deal lies.

His injury record at Brighton & Hove Albion and Derby saw him miss sizeable chunks of time for those clubs, and without getting any younger, Robinson and Baldock will have to be sensible to ensure he isn’t overplayed.

However, should he manage to stay fit, it’s no exaggeration that Baldock could score 15 or even 20 goals in Sky Bet League One next year.

That would of course reduce the burden on Taylor, who has been relied upon to be the main source of goals for the U’s since initially arriving on loan in August 2019.

Factor in the presence of another forward player, Marcus Browne, and United should be firing on all cylinders from the off next season.

In a poll we ran last week, 17 per cent of U’s fans responded to say the club needed a winger or forward most in the transfer window.

With Baldock, Taylor and Browne in the bag for next season – and Robinson targeting more players in attack – the club is looking in a healthy position in the final third.