[themaclad]

Cambridge United defender Zeno Ibsen Rossi has signed a new contract to run until the summer of 2026, with a "performance-related" option for a further year.

The U's paid an undisclosed fee for Rossi when they signed him from AFC Bournemouth in the summer of 2022 on a three-year deal.

The 23-year-old has made 27 appearances for the U's so far, 15 of them last season, when they finished 18th in League One.

"I have been in and out of playing for various reasons but I felt like whenever I have played I have shown what I can do," he told the club website., external

"I am excited to show more and to have a really big impact on the team."

[themaclad]

Cambridge United have signed Blackburn Rovers' Republic of Ireland Under 21 centre-back Connor O’Riordan on a season-long loan.

The 20-year-old moved to the Championship club from boyhood side Crewe Alexandra in January for an undisclosed fee.

O'Riordan has played more than 50 times in the English Football League for Crewe and spent the first half of the 2022-23 season on loan at Raith Rovers in the Scottish Championship.

He made two substitute appearances in the Championship for Rovers in February.

“Connor is a very talented young defender and we are really happy to have secured his services," Cambridge boss Garry Monk told the club website., external

“He adds another dimension to our defensive options and will provide fantastic competition to the squad."

O'Riordan is the U's ninth signing of the summer transfer window.

[themaclad]

Cambridge United have signed Bristol City midfielder Josh Stokes on a season-long loan.

Stokes, 20, has yet to make his league debut for the Robins after joining them on a three-and-a-half year deal in January from Aldershot Town, and then immediately being loaned back for the rest of the 2023-24 National League season.

Stokes, who is the tenth signing of the summer for the U's, is a product of the Ipswich Town youth system.

Released at 16, Stokes impressed for AFC Sudbury in the Isthmian League to earn a move up the non-league pyramid to Aldershot.

Cambridge manager Garry Monk told the club website:, external “Josh is a great young player who has worked extremely hard to progress through the leagues in such a short space of time. To do so takes not only talent, but an outstanding attitude and mindset."

[themaclad]

Cambridge United have signed defender Emmanuel Longelo on loan from fellow League One side Birmingham City for the rest of the season.

Former West Ham United trainee Longelo, 23, becomes the U's 11th signing of the summer transfer window.

Following the loan signing of midfielder Josh Stokes, he is the second capture inside 24 hours for Cambridge, who have lost both their league matches so far this season.

[themaclad]

Cambridge United have signed forward Esapa Osong on loan from Nottingham Forest for the rest of the season.

The 20-year-old has made one senior appearance for his parent club, coming on as a late substitute in a League Cup tie against Manchester United at Old Trafford almost two years ago.

He spent the first half of this season on loan at Rotherham United, scoring once in 10 games, but only made one league start and was recalled by Forest earlier this month.

U's boss Garry Monk said: "He is highly regarded, has all the attributes needed to be a success and is hungry to do well."

Cambridge are away to Rotherham on Tuesday, having achieved their first win in eight matches when they beat Mansfield Town 3-2 at the weekend.

They are, though, 22nd in the League One table, six points from safety, with 20 games left to play.

[themaclad]

Cambridge United have signed Sunderland goalkeeper Nathan Bishop on loan until the end of the season.

The deal comes 18 days after the U's brought in former Plymouth keeper Marko Marosi, but he was injured in only his second appearance.

Bishop, 25, joined Sunderland from Manchester United in the summer of 2023, but spent the first half of this season on loan at Wycombe Wanderers, where he made two League One appearances.

"Cambridge are a good side - you can see the group together working so hard and I am definitely excited to see what we can do," he said.

Bishop had a loan spell at Mansfield Town in the 2021-22 season and helped them reach the League Two play-off final.

"He has excellent pedigree, is hungry to do well and has an infectious character to add to the dressing room," said Cambridge boss Garry Monk.

The U's are bottom of the table with 18 games to play and are away to Lincoln City on Saturday.

[themaclad]

Jason Euell has left his role as assistant head coach at Cambridge United.

The former Charlton Athletic forward joined the League One club in July 2024 as part of former boss Garry Monk's backroom staff.

Monk was sacked last month with Neil Harris returning to the Abbey Stadium but the U's are 13 points from safety.

"We are reviewing every part of the football operation at the moment and, as part of that change process, Neil will soon be appointing his own assistant head coach, so that they can be in place before the start of pre-season," said Cambridge director of football Mark Bonner.

[themaclad]

Cambridge United striker Elias Kachunga will stay with the club next season after triggering an appearances-based extension to the contract he signed last summer.

The 33-year-old former Huddersfield, Sheffield Wednesday and Bolton forward scored seven goals in 47 games for the U's this season.

His final goal of the campaign came in the 2-1 defeat at Burton Albion in their penultimate game which confirmed relegation to League Two.

Only 12 senior players remain under contract for next season and boss Neil Harris is expecting a busy summer in the transfer market.

"If you look at the players under contract, there's not lots - and there's a couple of players that have carried injuries throughout the season like Zeno Rossi and Glenn McConnell who won't be in the starting eleven and will need to go and play on loan somewhere," Harris told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire.

"Straight away, you are looking at a big rebuild over the summer but that's part of the excitement that fans should hopefully buy into, they love to see players that have been here for a while and are favourites but they also love to see new players as well."

Only four teams scored fewer goals than Cambridge's 45 and Harris said adding firepower at the top-end of the pitch would be a priority.

"We've not scored enough goals this year. Did we create enough chances? In a lot of games we have so we've got to make sure we find that clinical nature.

"Is that because League One defenders have been too good for us? Possibly. Certainly from the wide areas we've got to find some creativity and more assists.

"In the middle of the park, there are players that have been injured for a long time, Gary Gardner, Korey Smith's not featured a lot since January and Jordan (Cousins) and we've got to look for options, so pretty much I'm covering every position on the pitch," Harris added.

[themaclad]

Cambridge United have released two members of their promotion-winning team of five seasons ago after announcing Paul Digby and Jubril Okedina will be leaving following relegation back to League Two.

Midfielder Digby, 30, and defender Okedina, who is 24, are among 11 players being let go at the end of their contracts.

Digby joined the U's from Stevenage in July 2020 and went on to make 229 appearances.

Okedina signed initially on loan in January 2021 and played 138 times.

Jack Stevens, Louis Chadwick, Danny Andrew, George Thomas, Jordan Cousins, Ben Stevenson, Dan Barton, Brandon Njoku and Amaru Kaunda were not offered new deals, while former Aston Villa and Birmingham City midfielder Gary Gardner has moved on by mutual consent.

[themaclad]

Cambridge United captain Michael Morrison has signed a new one-year contract following the club's relegation to League Two.

The 37-year-old centre-back returned in January 2023 for a second spell with his boyhood club.

Morrison has made 228 appearances for the U's since his debut in 2005.

He played for Leicester City, Sheffield Wednesday, Charlton Athletic, Birmingham City and Reading between his two spells at Abbey Stadium.

"I love playing and I love playing for Cambridge. I feel good and feel like I can keep putting in good performances on the pitch," Morrison said.

Cambridge head coach Neil Harris said Morrison will be "an integral part" of the squad rebuild in the fourth tier.