SEAN Clare is studying the best in the business in a bid to make his conversion to right back as successful as possible.

Oxford United paid an undisclosed fee to sign the 23-year-old from Hearts last week.

While he has spent much of his career in midfield, Clare was used as an attacking right back by the Edinburgh club last season.

United signed him to play in the back four and provide an attacking outlet from deep, similar to the role Chris Cadden played in the first half of the last campaign.

Clare has enjoyed the challenge of changing position and has been using the extra time in the last few weeks watching right backs at the top of the game for inspiration.

He said: “I’ve been actively researching a lot of players and styles, even before this came up because I realised right back was a good option for me.

“I’d like to say I’m a modern-day full back. You’ve got to look at the obvious one, (Trent) Alexander-Arnold at Liverpool.

“He’s one of the best in the world at the moment.

“I’ve also been looking at (Nelson) Semedo at Barcelona, players of similar age and just breaking down what they do.

“They make the game simple for themselves and that sounds easy but it’s probably the hardest thing to do.

“I’ve been working on that and watching games.

“It’s given me a lot of confidence to believe I can improve in this position and do really well in it, because I feel I have the attributes.”

The new signing will join up with his new teammates tomorrow for the first time at the start of pre-season training.

He is joining a side still hurting from their Sky Bet League One play-off final defeat last month.

But Clare has his own motivation to right some wrongs, after Hearts were relegated from the Scottish Premiership when their season was cut short.

He said: “I think it’s something the boys will use.

“For myself, Hearts were definitely hard done by and there was a lot of football left to play against teams that were in and around us.

“I’m sure the boys here will use that fire, because I’m sure they feel hard done by as well.

“They’re an excellent team and haven’t quite got there.

“That’s football but I’m sure they will be able to use that next season.”