Oxford United hope to tempt European and Premier League champions Manchester United to visit the Kassam Stadium in the build up to next season.

They are hoping for a repeat of the 2006 visit of Sir Alex Ferguson's team.

That match was United forward Cristiano Ronaldo's first in Britain after his controversial World Cup quarter-final against England.

U's director Jim Smith, a friend of Ferguson's, told BBC Oxford: "We are trying, put it like that."

Smith added: "But it is difficult these days because clubs can earn fortunes by playing friendlies abroad.

"Hopefully, in the next couple of weeks, we'll have something confirmed."

Oxford have also been in talks with Fulham and FA Cup winners Portsmouth, but a proposed game against QPR has been scrapped.