(Credit: Imago)

Pete O'Rourke, Transfer Correspondent

Thu 28 May 2026 13:01, UK

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Oxford United are plotting a move to take Grimsby Town striker Jaze Kabia to League One ahead of next season, sources have told Football Insider.

The recently relegated U’s are lining up a swoop for the 25-year-old, but are set to face competition for his signature from Leyton Orient, who are also strong admirers of the forward.

Kabia plundered 24 goals for Grimsby in all competitions in 2025-26, and scored a crucial goal in the second leg of their play-off semi-final defeat to Salford City.

David Artell’s side were ultimately unable to secure promotion to the third tier despite a promising campaign, and they are now facing significant interest in their star man ahead of the summer window.

Jaze Kabia subject to strong interest after career-best campaigns

Kabia’s eye-catching debut campaign for the Mariners has seen him quickly build an ever-growing list of admirers in the EFL, as he seized his opportunity in League Two with both hands.

The Irishman has spent large parts of his career playing in the Scottish pyramid across spells with the likes of Greenock Morton, Falkirk and Livingston in recent years.

He moved south of the border for the first time in 2024-25, when he netted a career-best 16 goals to help Cornish outfit Truro City secure promotion to the National League.

That form earned him a move to Grimsby last summer, and he has immediately taken to life in Lincolnshire, bettering his tally from last season by notching 18 strikes across the League Two campaign.

Kabia’s exploits in the fourth tier appear set to hand him the chance to make a jump higher up the EFL this season, with Oxford already keen to strike a deal for him following their relegation from the Championship.

Matt Bloomfield’s men will have their eyes on an immediate return to the second tier, and they have identified Kabia as a player who can help them reach that goal.

Oxford hunting Will Lankshear replacement as fresh loan unlikely

Football Insider revealed earlier in May that Oxford loanee Will Lankshear will return to Tottenham this summer, and could even be part of their first-team squad for next season.

The 21-year-old spearheaded the U’s survival fight with 11 league goals, and is now set to be involved in senior pre-season plans under Roberto De Zerbi at his parent club.

Sources say that Lankshear’s form at Oxford has made several clubs keen on the idea of a loan move for him if it becomes available next term, as a return to the Championship could also be on the cards.

That looks set to leave Oxford hunting for a replacement for their top scorer, as they are unlikely to be able to tempt him or Spurs with only third tier football on offer.