2026-27 Recruitment Plan for Cambridge United

Player Decisions

Retain

Louis Appere, Dominic Ball, Jake Eastwood, Liam Bennett, Zak Bradshaw, Kell Watts, Mamadou Jobe, George Hoddle, Ben Hughes, Sullay Kaikai, Ben Knight, Glen McConnell, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, Shane McLoughlin, Shayne Lowery, JJ Briggs

Release

Michael Morrison, James Brophy, Elias Kachunga, Korey Smith, Harry Dawson, Ben Purrington

Sell

George Munday, Ryan Loft, Zeno Ibsen Rossi

Lose

James Gibbons

Loan End

Kylian Kouassi, Adam Mayor, Elliott Nevitt, Sean Raggett

Loan Out

JJ Briggs, Ben Hughes

Sign

Isaac Heath, Callum Stead

Retained Squad

New Signings

Jordan Archer (Portsmouth – free)

The first player that I have picked out on this list will need no introduction to Cambridge United boss Neil Harris – having played under him previously at Millwall – in the form of goalkeeper Jordan Archer. While United do have two contracted goalkeepers on the books going into 2026-27, I think that United may well look to add another goalkeeper to the ranks to provide them with the requisite competition going into League One. 

Looking at this United side, one of the question marks that I would have – given his lack of exposure to first-team football up until this point – is whether or not Ben Hughes would be up to the level required if called upon in League One. We saw Jake Eastwood have time out with injury during 2025-26 and United ventured into the loan market to bring in Jack Walton on an emergency loan. Hughes is still only 22 years of age, and so he has got a lot of development to do in his game. 

If I were in Neil Harris’ shoes, I would personally be looking to bring in Archer to provide competition to Eastwood for the #1 jersey and provide Hughes the opportunity to go and play first-team minutes elsewhere on loan. At Hughes’ age, sitting on the bench will do little to help his development and so I think there is a lot of sense of him going out and getting playing opportunities in a different first-team environment ideally in League Two. This would a) allow Hughes to go and get game time b) ensure that they have a goalkeeper that is ready to grasp an opportunity if he has to be recalled and c) a player that will be much the better for it come the end of the campaign. 

Archer was let go by Portsmouth at the end of the 2025-26 campaign, and so is available on a free transfer. It remains to be seen as to whether or not he will be going in to be a #1 this coming season, but I think that the attraction of working under a manager that he knows and has worked before may well be the deciding factor in persuading him that Cambridge United is a respectable option for him to go and play his football. 

Indeed, as Cambridge United go into League One I think that they have got to try and add some experience to the group. Add into the mix the fact that United were not the most overly creative from open-play and relied heavily on their strong defensive foundations, strengthening at the back this term is going to be key and the most likely avenue in which they are going to be able to compete; in lieu of going and spending big at the top end of the pitch. When you sign a goalkeeper, you always want to have someone you can trust and that can be a safe pair of hands, and I think that Archer reuniting with his former manager makes a lot of sense.

Danny McNamara (Millwall – free)

The second player on this list follows a similar train of thought to Jordan Archer in that he has played under Cambridge United boss Neil Harris at Millwall and that is right-back Danny McNamara. Of the options that are available on the market, McNamara is one that particularly excites me given his experience and underlying physical profile, and I think that if United could land a player of McNamara’s ilk then it would be a major boost for their squad-building going into the 2026-27 campaign. 

United lost James Gibbons at the end of the season as he went and signed for Notts County, and so that will present Harris with a potential challenge in being able to strengthen on the right-hand side. One of the advantage that they had in Gibbons is that while he was playing on the right of a back three for the most part, Gibbons is a player that played predominantly as a full-back prior to that and so when they have got the ball there is flexibility within their set-up to operate as a full-back and given license to Bennett to get high. 

I am a huge fan of Liam Bennett, but if I am looking at this United squad as a neutral then I think that the right-hand side is an area in which United can definitely look to strengthen. Against bigger and more physically developed attacking players, I feel that Bennett could well be one that opposition sides look to target in transition. As such, I think that McNamara – given that he has played extensively in the Championship – could well be a good fit to provide them with the level required to be challenging in the top half of League One. 

In terms of his profile, McNamara has got the requisite ticks in the box that I would typically look for in a wing-back. He is a dynamic runner, with a good engine, always looking to get forward on the overlap and incredibly positive in wanting to carry the ball to goal. He utilises his low centre of gravity in being efficient in carries, is technically strong with nice close control in tight spaces, and despite having had time out with injury he is still a fairly quick and mobile defender in covering ground.

I have been impressed with the maturity of Bennett’s game in the past 12-18 months and the way in which has tied up his game, but in terms of that explosive power in his running as an outlet then I think McNamara could provide them with a profile that is well-suited to the system that United employ. 

One of the stumbling blocks would no doubt be the wages given that he has played for the best part of 10 years at a higher level, but if United could find a way to navigate that potential challenge then I think it would be a major coup on their part as they go into League One. I believe that he is a top-end, League One operator at the very least, and if they can get him back fit and firing at his most athletic best then they have got someone that is capable of taking them up another level.

Noel Atom (Brighton and Hove Albion – free)

One area in which Cambridge United need to strengthen during the summer is in the defensive line. One player that is now available after being let go by his parent club at the end of the 2025-26 campaign and I feel has got a lot of potential as a prospective signing is German youngster Noel Atom. Released by Brighton and Hove Albion this summer, I think that he could well be a good option for United in terms of providing them with the depth in the backline that they’re looking for. 

As a profile, Atom has got all of the attributes that I would typically look for in a wide centre-back in a three. He is physically strong, and a great athlete. He is quick. A powerful runner. This allows him to be fairly effective when defending large spaces, and in being able to track runners from deep. If you are going to play a back three, you need the wide centre-backs to have the mobility and athleticism to engage in foot races, follow runners and have the burst of pace to be able to go from being a box defender to then jumping out to engage wingers, and so I think that Atom represents a good fit for that. 

In many ways, I feel that the youngster is a bit of a “unicorn” profile given that he is a left-footed centre-back that is comfortable on the ball. You don’t often find players of that profile readily available on the market, and so I would be all over this signing if I were in Neil Harris’ shoes. He has got the technical composure and physical attributes to slot into the left-hand side of that defence, he can be used slightly further forward as a left wing-back if required, and he has got the physically imposing frame and stature such that he can play in the centre of the three as an aerial aggressor. 

While Cambridge United will be looking to try and stave off relegation from League One this year and will more than likely wish to sign the ‘finished product’, I think that there is a lot of value in signing a bit of a project for them to work with. Mamadou Jobe has done terrifically in making the move into the first-team with United, yet there is an expectation that the youngster may well be of interest further down the line to teams higher up the pyramid. As such, I think that signing a ready-made replacement for that in the squad that can develop and adjust to League One football is incredibly useful. 

I think that Atom represents a nice project for Neil Harris to work with, and on a long-term deal I feel that the youngster could provide value for United. He is only 21 years of age, out of a good academy environment and represents a strong physical profile. I would be excited to see Atom adapt to first-team football, and I think that the youngster would be a good fit for the way that Cambridge United want to play.

Elkan Baggott (Ipswich Town – fee)

Cambridge United let Michael Morrison go at the end of the 2025-26 campaign, and Zeno Ibsen Rossi is similarly unlikely to start the campaign as a United player given that he has been put on the transfer list. As such, I think that Neil Harris will be looking to sign another centre-back during the summer. One player that I feel should be on their list as a prospective candidate is young Thai centre-back Elkan Baggott. 

In terms of profile that I would look for in a centre-back, I think that Baggott has got a number of the requisite ticks that make him such an exciting project for Neil Harris to work with. With Morrison departing, United will be looking to sign an aerial aggressor that can win the ball and be combative in engaging attacking players, and Baggott is a good stylistic fit for this given that he is a physically imposing defender standing at 6ft 5in. I think that he would be hugely effective playing in the middle of the back three as the one that can go and win the ball, and this would allow the youngster to focus on the strength of his box-defending qualities. 

In many ways, I feel that Baggot is such a ‘unicorn player’ given that he is a left-footed defender that is a beast physically and comfortable with the ball. You don’t often see players of that profile on the market, and so that is why – if I were Neil Harris and Mark Bonner – I would be going all out to land his signature. He is 23 years of age now and has had a number of encouraging loan spells in the Football League in League One and League Two, and so I feel that he is at the stage of his career where he really needs to kick on and do so with the challenge of signing for a new club. 

If I am advising Elkan Baggott, I would say that this summer is the perfect opportunity in which to depart Portman Road and to find a new home in which to go and play his football. The Tractorboys are a top-end Championship with ambitions of stabilising themselves as a Premier League outfit, and I think that Baggott has got to be realistic as to the fact that they’ve probably outgrown where the 23-year-old’s game is. Is he a Championship defender at present? No. Is he a Premier League footballer? Definitely not. Could he – with the benefit of regular minutes – develop into being a top-end League One player? Yes. 

For this United side, I feel that he covers a number of bases. He can equally be the central most defender that can sweep up attacking actions, yet he can play left of the back three given that he is equally adept at defending wide spaces. He is surprisingly mobile for a player of his size and he uses his body well, and he is a threat in both boxes. 

I think that The Tractorboys would be willing to let the youngster leave the club and find himself a new permanent home, and so I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Baggott moving on to pastures new. I don’t feel that the youngster would be too expensive on a permanent deal, and so if Cambridge United are willing to shell out for him then I think he would represent a sensible investment on a long-term deal.

Adam Mayor (Millwall – loan)

One player that I don’t think needs any introduction to Cambridge United fans given that he spent the 2025-26 campaign on loan with Neil Harris’ side is youngster Adam Mayor. The attacking player was ever present for United during their promotion from League Two last season, and I feel that a return for the youngster would represent a sensible move for both parties. 

Millwall only just missed out on promotion to the Premier League last season and so they will be looking to go one better this year under Alex Neil, and so they will be looking to strengthen their squad such that they can make up the gap on the top two. If I was in Alex Neil’s shoes, I would look at Mayor as potentially not being up to the level to be impactful to the level required for a promotion-chasing Championship just yet. As such, it would be a lot of sense – certainly for his own development – if he were to go out on loan. 

If he is to continue his improvement towards being closer to the first-team for The Lions, I think that he has got to try and test himself at a higher level than he played last year and so a move to a League One club should be on the agenda. If he is to go to a League One club, I don’t see any reason as to why any club should be ahead of Cambridge United in the queue for his signature. Having done so well under Neil Harris last year, I think that a return to the club and the opportunity to play League One football is a credible next step for his development. 

If I am Adam Mayor, I would be looking to use this year as an opportunity in which to really progress his physical development. Technically, he is a lovely player with a delicate weight of pass, quick feet, good delivery from wide and is always progressive in trying to play forward. He isn’t the biggest and is more elegant than explosive, and so I think that adding that bit more physicality to his game would allow him to be more effective at a higher level. This development is definitely required if he is going to break into the first-team with Millwall in the long-term. As such, I would put that down as the area of focus. 

Again, I would be looking to try and get value for money if I am Neil Harris in the market, and so signing a player of Mayor’s profile is ideal for that. He can play as a full-back in a four, as a wing-back in a five, and can be used as a left-side #10 in a 3-4-2-1 and so he certainly provides United with a versatile option.

Jeffrey Schlupp (Norwich City – free)

I can absolutely see why some Cambridge United fans may be against signing a player of Schlupp’s age, and that potentially there may be a question mark over whether or not he is an ‘exciting’ signing. In my opinion, I think that United have got to try and do intelligent business this summer that can provide them with value for money and ensure they can be competitive in League One. While it may not rip up any trees for being a ‘flashy’ signing, I do think that it can – if the money is right – be a sensible option for United to consider. 

One of the major plus points for signing Schlupp and the reason why I would sign him is his versatility. I don’t expect that Cambridge United can have a squad of 25-30 players next year, and they are likely to have one of the lower budgets in the league. For a club like United trying to cut their cloth accordingly in League One, I think that they have got to try and find those two or three experienced players that can give something a little bit different and more importantly the knowhow of playing at a higher level. Similar players to the Mpanzu’s and Morrison’s of this world that got them into League One. 

I see a number of positives in signing the 33-year-old. United are likely to sign a lot of younger players, and so his experience would be key. He can play in a number of different positions, be it as a left wing-back, a winger, a forward or as a central midfielder, and he has got the intelligence to do so as a composite squad option. He might not play 25-30+ games in any one position, yet having that player within the group that can play 35-40 games across multiple positions as a squad option could be invaluable for a side that will be fancied by most to struggle against the ‘bigger hitters’. With Morrison, Smith and Kachunga all moving on this summer, his experience is especially timely. 

Schlupp is at the stage now in his career whereby he may well relish the challenge of dropping down a level and trying to be part of a project. He has had his time in the top divisions of the English game and had success, and if I were in his position then I would personally be quite excited about the prospect of trying to help Cambridge United establish themselves in League One. 

He didn’t make an impact for Norwich City in the Championship, yet I think that signing for a newly promoted League One side as one of the more established professionals and going into a mid-table Championship side at the age of 33 are two completely different prospects. I point to the impact that signings like Patrick Bauer at AFC Wimbledon had last year – players that didn’t excite, but were wholly functional as a net benefit – and if they can get him for the right money without pushing the boat out then I would seriously consider him as an option.

Emre Tezgel (Stoke City – loan)

The final player on this list is one that is going to be in high demand off the back of a productive campaign at Crewe Alexandra and that is young forward Emre Tezgel. The youngster is contracted to Championship side Stoke City, and with first.team opportunities unlikely at this stage for him I think that the logical next step for him – having had a good season in League Two – is for him to go and test himself in 2026-27 at a League One club. As such, I feel that Cambridge United could be a good environment in which the youngster can go and play his football next year. 

One of the things that I particularly liked about Tezgel during his time with Crewe Alexandra is the fact that he demonstrated that he can be fairly self-sufficient in the way that he plays. The Railwaymen and some good attacking operators such as Matus Holicek and Tommy O’Reilly, yet they didn’t create a high volume of opportunities in front of goal. That said, the youngster managed to hit double figures for Lee Bell’s side as they just missed out on the play-offs in League Two, and so I feel that represents a good return. United themselves are not the most free-flowing side from open-play, and so I think that signing a player of Tezgel’s intelligence and craft in front of goal to fashion chances could be a clever addition. 

In terms of a profile, Tezgel is an energetic, high-intensity, pressing #9 that has got clever movement off the shoulder and always looks to play in beyond the opposition. He is a clean ball-striker and an instinctive finisher. Quick feet. A delicate weight of pass in front of goal, and the intricacy to create in tight spaces. 

From a stylistic point of view, I think that signing Tezgel would get the best out of the players that United have got in the attacking midfield positions given his ability to drop deeper and to effectively link the play. They have already got a player in Ben Knight that wants to play in beyond the play and arrive into the box late, and they have just signed a profile in Callum Stead that is incredibly energetic and full of running as a line-breaker to stretch teams. With Tezgel dropping slightly shorter, it would open the space up for Stead and Knight to run in behind the play and I can envisage nice rotations between the three at the top end of the pitch.

Not least, Tezgel is rated as one of the best up-and-coming prospects in the Football League and the type of player that can create out of nothing. He is the calibre of attacking player they should be signing if they are to give it a real good go in League One, and Tezgel himself would – I feel – return to League One a far better player than he was there last with MK Dons. 

Stoke City are already making moves in the market this summer to try and be competitive at the top end of the Championship in 2026-27, and Tezgel is a fair way off being ready to play in the first-team for Mark Robins’s side. If I am in City’s position, I would be entertaining offers to let him go out on loan. United’s record in the loan market last season was fairly productive, and they’ve shown – with the likes of Knight, McConnell, Hoddle and Jobe amongst others – that they are a good environment for young players to play their football. As a potential destination, I think that The Abbey has a lot of attraction.