KARL Robinson says playing for Oxford United has to ‘mean something’ as he delivered a cryptic message about the club’s transfer business.

The U’s head coach was downbeat before yesterday’s 3-2 win over Sheffield Wednesday, revealing it had been one of the ‘hardest weeks he’d had’ since arriving at the club almost four years ago.

United are yet to make a signing in the January transfer window and Robinson suggested ‘sticking to our principles’ was more important than chasing certain players.

“One or two things have fallen flat,” the head coach added after the game.

“I’ve had some great conversations this week with some really good people who want to be here for the right reasons, but there have been some conversations that have been the wrong reasons.

“There’s no one person that’s bigger than the club.

Read also: Karl Robinson explains tactical tweak against Sheffield Wednesday 

“There have been some players I’ve spoken to who are dead excited about coming here.

“But should I be chasing people, should I be going backwards and forwards? Shove it where the sun don’t shine.

“There have been two or three conversations this week where I thought ‘wow, I didn’t expect that’. That’s really exciting, really refreshing.

“You have these conversations and some people lift you to dream and some people drag you in the doldrums.

“A player who skips on this pitch is far greater than one I have to drag on to it.

“If you want to cross that white line in a yellow shirt it’s got to mean something to you. It means an awful lot to me, my players and the fans.”

This month, Robinson has kept his cards close to his chest when it comes to transfers, having spoken more openly in previous windows.

United were thought to be interested in former loanee Marcus Browne, but it appears the 24-year-old is heading to Sky Bet League One counterparts Charlton Athletic after the Addicks offered him a very competitive financial package.

The U's were this morning linked with Morecambe goal machine Cole Stockton, with Preston North End, Barnsley and Rotherham United also rumoured to be interested.

Read also: Karl Robinson asked about Jermain Defoe links

The most eye-catching name mooted as a potential recruit this month has been former England striker Jermain Defoe.

The U’s are understood to be firmly in the race for the 39-year-old, although they face competition from League One promotion rivals Sunderland.

Defoe played for the Black Cats from 2015 to 2017 and manager Lee Johnson revealed yesterday their interest is still alive.

He told the Sunderland Echo: “We’re working very hard to bring Jermain in and we’ve had good conversations [to that effect].

“It’s an option.

“It’s got to be right, both for us and for the player, I do think that, but don’t confuse us being thorough for not having interest.

“I’ve got a load of respect for the man himself and what he could bring to the football club, simple as that.

“We want to bring someone in of that ilk.”