Alex Matos on the ball for Oxford United (Image: Mike Allen)
Alex Matos on the ball for Oxford United (Image: Mike Allen)
GARY Rowett says midfielder Alex Matos will not be in a rush to make a decision on his future following the end of his loan spell at Oxford United.
Matos joined the U’s on loan from Chelsea during the January transfer window and made a big impression in the midfield engine room.
The 20-year-old featured 21 times in all competitions for United, including 10 starts in Sky Bet Championship.
Matos was utilised in his arguably more natural holding midfield role, while U’s head coach Rowett also used the loanee in the No 10 position, with Matos acting as an aggressive ball-winner high up the pitch.
It was in that role that Matos put in two of his best displays in a United shirt, away at Sheffield Wednesday and at home to Leeds United.
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Asked by this newspaper whether the U’s retaining their Championship status ahead of the 2025/26 campaign makes it any easier for the club to bring Matos back next season, Rowett responded: “Those conversations will be had. I don’t like to talk about other clubs’ players because essentially he’s contracted there, but he’s done well for us.
“I think he’s showed his versatility for us as well. It was nice for him to play the last game of the season because Vaulksy [Will Vaulks] and Cammy [Cameron Brannagan] have, certainly at home, played a huge part.
“Those conversations will be ongoing. It all depends on what the club wants to do, it depends on what the parent club wants to do, and also what the player wants to do, and what options he’s going to have in the summer.
“Certainly I would imagine someone like Alex Matos wouldn’t be in a rush to decide because he’s got some pretty good options.”
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Rowett said in April that any loan player who performs well for the club would be in the thinking when it comes to the transfer window, when quizzed on Matos in a previous interview.
Matos joined Chelsea from Norwich City in July 2023, having featured for the Under-18 and Under-21 teams with the Canaries.
He made his Chelsea first team debut in the Premier League as a late substitute in a 2-0 win at Fulham in October 2023, and also featured from the bench in a Carabao Cup fourth round tie against Blackburn Rovers.
Matos played the full 90 minutes when United beat Chelsea Under-21s 5-0 in the EFL Trophy back in November 2023.
He joined Huddersfield Town on loan in the Championship last January, and he played 19 times in the second tier, 15 of which were starts, but was unable to help stop the Terriers from being relegated to League One.