RUMOURS linking Oxford United with a move for Danny Hylton are wide of the mark, according to boss Karl Robinson.

The U's boss believes they are very close to a loan signing which he had thought was out of his wage budget.

But it will not be Hylton, who is fondly remembered at United for scoring 30 goals in a two-season spell which culminated with promotion from League Two in 2015/16.

He left that summer to join Luton Town, where he has scored 55 goals in two and a half seasons.

Stories emerged earlier today that the U’s were interested in signing Hylton, but while Robinson admitted he had been on their list earlier this month, they are not in the running.

He said: “Hylton is certainly someone we’d want to speak to, but we’ve heard he’s unavailable.

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“I don’t know where that’s come from to be honest. He was someone we had on our list, but he’s not available.

“Why would Luton, who are pushing at the top (let him go?) If they’ve got four strikers I’d want a fifth.

“I don’t know where the story has come from, I don’t know if it’s agent-led but he certainly was someone on our list.

“We heard he was unavailable, so it’s something we stepped back from.”

But there has been movement today on a key target and Robinson thanked owner Sumrith 'Tiger' Thanakarnjanasuth for pushing the boat out.

He said: "There’s been a bit of action.

"A striker I thought wasn’t available in our wage structure Tiger is probably going to pay one of the biggest salaries this club has had.

"He’s really pushed it. It will be a loan signing, we certainly couldn’t afford the wages."

It is thought the deal could be tied up tomorrow, but may not be finalised until the morning of transfer deadline day on Thursday.

One deal likely to happen in the other direction is a loan move for Tsun Dai to the B team of Netherlands club Utrecht.