Bristol City have added to their midfield options by signing Brian De Keersmaecker from Oxford United on a season-long loan, with an option to buy understood to be included in the agreement, according to a BBC Sport report.

Who is De Keersmaecker?

The 26-year-old Belgian arrived in English football in the summer of 2025, joining Oxford United after a spell with Dutch side Heracles Almelo. He found himself in the thick of Oxford's Championship campaign last season, making 28 appearances for the club before his season was cut short by a shoulder injury that required surgery in February. He played his final match for Oxford in January and was not involved in any of their remaining matchday squads as the club were relegated back to League One.

Despite the difficult circumstances surrounding that campaign, De Keersmaecker accumulated a meaningful body of work in the second tier, offering City head coach Michael Skubala a player with direct Championship experience. He contributed one goal during his time with Oxford, and his ability to operate across the midfield is understood to have caught the eye of the Ashton Gate recruitment team.

Skubala keen to build midfield depth

"We are pleased to add depth to our midfield and Brian will add that as well as quality," Skubala told the Bristol City club website. The message from the head coach is clear: this is not simply a squad-filling exercise but a considered addition to an area of the pitch City are looking to strengthen as the season gets under way.

The loan structure, with an option to buy, is a format that carries its own logic at Championship level. It gives Bristol City the opportunity to assess De Keersmaecker over the course of a full campaign before committing to a permanent fee, while Oxford retain some financial interest in a player they signed only last summer. Whether that option will be triggered at the end of the season will, in all likelihood, depend on how readily De Keersmaecker establishes himself in Skubala's starting plans and on City's own league position at the time.

Fitness question to answer

The most pressing question for supporters will be around De Keersmaecker's physical condition. Having not featured in a competitive matchday squad since January, he arrives having missed the best part of six months of football. Skubala's staff will need to manage his return to match fitness carefully, and it would be reasonable to expect him to build gradually into the season rather than slot straight into the XI.

That shoulder surgery, carried out in February, is now several months in the past, and the club will have conducted their own medical assessment before finalising the loan. Assuming he comes through that period unscathed, City will hope to have a fully available midfielder on their hands as the Championship campaign progresses into autumn.

Context at Ashton Gate

Bristol City have been active in the window. The signing of De Keersmaecker follows the recent arrival of striker Elijah Adebayo on a two-year deal, and the club have also allowed Harry Cornick to leave for AFC Wimbledon. The midfield addition suggests Skubala sees the engine room as an area that needed reinforcing, and the Belgian's second-tier experience gives him a head start over a player arriving from a lower division or from abroad.

With the deadline approaching, City appear to have concluded most of their business in an orderly fashion. Whether further activity follows before the window closes remains to be seen, though Skubala had indicated publicly that the club were monitoring the final days carefully.

Frequently asked

Who is Brian De Keersmaecker?
Brian De Keersmaecker is a 26-year-old Belgian midfielder who joined Oxford United from Dutch club Heracles Almelo in the summer of 2025. He made 28 Championship appearances for Oxford before a shoulder injury ended his season early, and he has now joined Bristol City on a season-long loan with an option to buy.
Is De Keersmaecker's loan a permanent deal?
No, it is a season-long loan from Oxford United. However, an option to buy is included in the agreement, giving Bristol City the ability to sign him permanently at the end of the season if they choose to exercise it.
Is De Keersmaecker fit to play for Bristol City?
He missed the final months of last season after shoulder surgery in February and has not featured in a competitive matchday squad since January. Bristol City will have carried out a medical before confirming the loan, but supporters should expect his return to full match fitness to be managed gradually.