According to Alan Nixon via his Patreon, Sheffield United and Lincoln City are both interested in signing Oxford United's centre-back, Ciaron Brown, ahead of the January window. Brown is a 28-year-old player from Northern Ireland, and his contract is set to expire at the end of the season. He had previously drawn interest from Championship clubs, which included Millwall, but he stayed with Oxford after their relegation. It is understood that Sheffield United considers Brown an affordable, low-cost option to help rebuild their squad following a slow start to the Championship season and multiple summer departures. Lincoln are also believed to be observing the defender with the aim of strengthening their defence. It is thought that Sheffield United would likely have an advantage over Lincoln City in any competition to sign him. The defender, who has 33 caps for his country, joined Oxford in July 2022. According to Transfermarkt, he has a current market value of €1.50m.