Oxford United are delighted to announce the signing of former Premier League winger Matt Phillips.
Phillips joins United after eight years with West Bromwich Albion across the Premier League and Championship and brings plenty of top-level experience and quality to the group.
Capped 16 times at international level with Scotland, Phillips has also played more than 140 times in the Premier League and exactly 280 times in the Championship, scoring more than 50 goals across both competitions.
The 33-year-old winger will now join Des Buckingham’s side as the team gets set for the opening game of the Championship season at home to Norwich next Saturday.
Speaking after signing, he said: “I’m delighted. It’s a great opportunity for me and I can’t wait to get started.
“I’ve had a few days of training already and I’m delighted to get started. I noticed from walking in that it’s a very tight group that’s together, which showed in getting up through the play-offs.
“I want to have another successful season with the team here and I feel like I have a lot to offer. This is an opportunity for me to come and play football and really go and do something special.
“I don’t want to put a target on things. People might write us off, but I want to prove people wrong and reach for the stars and let us see where it takes us.”
Des Buckingham, Head Coach, said: “Matt is a fantastic addition to the group, and he brings lots of quality and experience to our forward line and overall team that will be highly important to us.
“After seeing Matt in training with us and then speaking with him, his strengths as a player and person were clear to see and he will add huge quality after more than a decade in the top two divisions.
“Matt has been bought in to complement our wide areas but is also comfortable across a number of positions in the forward line, and we look forward to seeing what he can bring to us on the pitch, as well as the contribution he can make as a leader in our Training Ground.”
Ed Waldron, Head of Football Operations, said: “Signing a player of Matt’s pedigree highlights the strength of what we are looking to build at the Club.
“Matt’s qualities are there for all to see. He offers something different to our attacking line and we feel he will strengthen the group.
“As a person, we have already seen in his short time training with the Club that he is the type that will have a positive impact on our culture at the Training Ground, and we look forward to working alongside him.”