Oxford United’s Mark Harris has revealed he had the chance to stay with Cardiff City before joining the U’s, as he has been rewarded with an excellent 18 months with a return to the Welsh squad.

The 25-year-old came through the ranks with the Bluebirds, and he would go on to make 95 appearances for the club.

However, Harris failed to truly establish himself as a key player in the team, and his versatility in the final third meant he didn’t nail down a run in the side in his preferred position as a striker.

Therefore, he opted to move to Oxford on a free in 2023, and it’s a decision that has paid off spectacularly, with Harris scoring 15 goals as the U’s won promotion to the Championship, and he has managed four goals in four games this season in the second tier.

Mark Harris reflects on Cardiff City exit

Such form has seen Harris return to the Welsh setup, and he will hope to add to his five caps for his country under Craig Bellamy over the next week, with the last of his appearances for his country coming in 2022.

So, Harris appears to be in a good place right now as he kicks on in his career, and he told reporter Phil Blanche that whilst Cardiff wanted him to stay, he felt a move was required in order for him to progress.

“I moved to Oxford to try to establish myself as a proper number nine. I was offered a contract at Cardiff…but it was better to move on.”

Mark Harris’ decision to join Oxford United has been vindicated

It should be said that Harris took a risk by turning down an extension at Cardiff, as they were a Championship club, and he was in his comfort zone having come through the academy and featured in the first-team.

With that in mind, dropping to the third tier was a bold move, but it’s one that has worked out for Harris, who has flourished under the guidance of Des Buckingham.

The Oxford boss has full belief in the player, and that is reflected by how Harris has performed on the pitch.

It’s not just about the goals, as Harris is key to the way the U’s play with how he leads the press from the front, and his ability to run in behind is important for the side.

Mark Harris can go up another level

The way Harris has adapted to life in the Championship will have surprised some, and it will be interesting to see if he can sustain these performance levels over the weeks and months ahead.

It has been claimed that his displays have caught the eye of Holstein Kiel, with the Bundesliga side monitoring Harris ahead of the January window after they failed to get a deal done in the summer, whilst Millwall were also keen.

So, Harris is already attracting attention, and if he can continue to score goals by the end of the year, then you can be sure that other clubs will be tracking the player.

The immediate focus for Harris will be on Wales, who have games against Turkey and Montenegro over the international break.