STRIKER Jordan Bowery has become Oxford United's first signing of the January transfer window.

The 24-year-old joins on a short-term deal for the rest of the season as a free agent, after agreeing a settlement on the remaining six months of his contract at Rotherham United.

He is able to make his debut away to Portsmouth tomorrow, boosting attacking options which had been reduced by Ryan Taylor being ruled out for at least six weeks with a groin injury.

Bowery met up with his teammates at Bisham Abbey this afternoon ahead of the squad travelling to their hotel on the south coast this evening.

Several clubs were in the race for the former Aston Villa front man, but the U's provided the most attractive prospect for a player who is not cup-tied for either the Emirates FA Cup or Johnstone's Paint Trophy.

Bowery said: "My agent rang me saying Oxford were interested, with a few others.

"Out of the lot Oxford was the best opportunity - they're flying in the league, they are in the FA Cup and should be getting to the JPT final.

"It was an opportunity I couldn't turn down.

"I want to get my career back on track and I thought this was the best place."

Bowery started at Chesterfield, scoring a career-best 12 goals during the 2011/12 season which prompted a £500,000 move to Aston Villa.

He made just six starts, five in the Premier League, in two seasons without a goal before Rotherham paid a club record fee, which was undisclosed, to bring him to South Yorkshire in 2014.

Bowery scored five goals in the Sky Bet Championship last season, but he has started only three games for the Millers this campaign.

A delighted U's boss Michael Appleton said: "Jordan's got good pedigree, not too long ago Villa were paying half a million pounds for him.

"He is a talent, very athletic, quick and can play with his back to goal.

"He comes very highly-rated from people I've spoken to and even those in the squad who played with him at Rotherham.

"I think he's in the same mould as the players we've got already, where there is a lot of potential to work with."

He is unlikely to manage 90 minutes tomorrow, with his last competitive appearance coming on November 28, during a brief loan at Bradford City.