Oxford were left "impressed" after interviewing Aaron Ramsey for the vacant managerial position at the Kassam Stadium, according to reports.
Ramsey, 35, retired from professional football in April of this year and his only experience in management to date came when he took caretaker charge of Cardiff City for three matches at the conclusion of the 2024/25 season.
Despite his lack of experience, reports by Malachi Obrey in the Oxford Mail claim that the Oxford United hierarchy were left "impressed" by the Welshman in a recent meeting.
The U's are on the hunt for a new head coach following the departure of Matt Bloomfield last Saturday, more than six weeks after Oxford's relegation to the third tier of English football.
Preparations for an instant rebound back to the Championship would have been well underway at the club, with the announcement that Bloomfield would leave his post coming as a shock to many Oxford fans.
However, the search for a new manager is well underway and Ramsey is a front-runner to land the job.
"Ex-Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey is the favourite to take over as head coach at Oxford United and the Oxford Mail understands the club is impressed by the young coach," wrote Obrey in the Oxford Mail.
"The Oxford Mail understands that there is longer-standing interest in Ramsey with the 35-year-old impressing the club's higher-ups in an earlier meeting between the two parties."
When Ramsey announced his retirement little over two months ago, it brought to an end a glittering playing career that garnered success both domestically, abroad and on the international stage.
The midfielder won 86 caps for Wales, scoring 12 goals and playing a key role in their run to the semi-finals of the 2016 European Championships where they were defeated by eventual winners Portugal.
Ramsey's most successful spell at club level came at Arsenal where won a hat-trick of FA Cups, as well as the Player of the Season award on two separate occasions.
Should he land the job at the Kassam Stadium, he will be expected to hit the ground running, irrespective of his lack of experience, with Oxford 9/2 and amongst the leading contenders to earn promotion back to the second tier.
