Sheffield United winger Ricky Holmes could return to Oxford United this season

That's according to the Oxford Mail, who say that the 31-year-old, who has made 19 appearances for Oxford since August, could yet head back to the Us on a new deal once he has returned to fitness.

Holmes originally joined the struggling League One club on a season-long loan deal at the start of the campaign, but is understood to have returned to Sheffield United after missing out on over a month of football for Karl Robinson's side due to a back injury.

Scans revealed that it could be up to eight weeks before he returns to fitness, but there is a possibility that the winger could rejoin Oxford in a deal that would see third-tier club paying the Blades' share of Holmes' wages for the remainder of the season.

Robinson told the Oxford Mail: 'Ricky's gone back to Sheffield United. That's not something we've closed the door on, we're speaking to Sheffield United about a different type of contract.

'If he gets himself fit in eight weeks he might have eight or nine games left to go, could he come back in for that time?'