'When he plays, United don’t have a player like him': Oxford United verdict on reported Portsmouth, Sunderland, Wigan and Lincoln target Alex Gorrin

The Blues have reportedly joined Sunderland, Wigan, Burton and Lincoln in weighing up a potential swoop for the 28-year-old.

Despite interest from the Fratton Park outfit, sources claim the Black Cats have stolen a march on the competition and have already firmed up their initial keenness, with the Spaniard set to become a free agent next month.

To get a better understanding of the situation, we spoke to the Oxford Mail’s James Roberts.

Here’s what was discussed.

What is Gorrin’s current situation at Oxford?

As far as I am aware, discussions are still ongoing.

Obviously, every EFL club have to submit their retained lists by Saturday so they have to come to some sort of decision by then.

I think Karl Robinson said a number of months ago that he would be offered a contract, but we don’t know whether those discussions are down to contract length, pay and that’s down to speculation.

It was said a while ago that he’d be offered a new deal and that seems to have happened, but I think it’s a case of just typing up those discussions.

How key has he been under Karl Robinson?

In his first season he was excellent, United qualified for the play-off final, beating Pompey.

This season he only played for a couple of months before his ACL injury.

But last term he was a little bit less integral and had a few injury issues towards the end of last year.

When he plays, United don’t have a player like him, that makes him so key.

What does he bring, what are his best qualities?

Ball winning, interceptions, reads the game well in defensive areas and is very combative.

He likes to get stuck in and win the ball on as many occasions as possible but also picks up a few yellow cards because of that, too.

Should he be the type of player Pompey should be looking at if they want to push for promotion?

He’s an important type of player to have. I think he is a decent League One defensive midfielder but I'm not sure he is as positive with the ball as he needs to be to make the step up.

Without the ball he gives you a lot of stability, but whether he would be integral to a team going for automatics remains to be seen.

Sunderland are believed to have made an enquiry, what do you know about that?

I haven’t heard much about it but I am a little bit surprised simply because they have a massive game on Saturday.

It makes me think that because he was at Sunderland when he was younger that’s an easy link to make but I’m not sure.

I have not heard anything more than he is under discussion with United, but I guess we’ll find out in the coming days whether he accepts the deal or if there are any other deals on the table for him.