Oxford United have signed highly-rated goalkeeper George Long from Sheffield United.

The 20 year-old arrives at the Kassam Stadium on a loan deal until January having made 73 appearances for the Blades.

The England Under-21 shot-stopper made his league debut for the Division Three outfit in 2011, becoming United’s youngest ever goalkeeper to play for the club.

Long was also part of England’s Under-20 World Cup squad in 2013 where the Three Lions finished bottom of Group E in Turkey.

With Long expected to stay with the Yellows until the New Year; the international goalkeeper will battle it out with Oxford youth graduate Max Crocombe to be United’s number one at the start of the new 2014-15 campaign as Ryan Clarke continues his recovery from foot surgery.

The 6’ 4” goalkeeper becomes Michael Appleton’s second summer signing since becoming Us boss earlier this month, and he was delighted with this particular piece of business.

“George is highly rated. He is tall, he communicates well and likes to command his box,” he said.

“We need competition for every place in the side and with Ryan Clarke still on crutches we now have two good young keepers in George and Max Crocombe, who will push each other all the way.”

Long was similarly thrilled at the prospect of more first-team football next season: “I’ve spoken to the lads and they are all really positive.

“It’s a club going in the right direction and hoping to challenge at the top end of the league.

“For myself as a young goalkeeper it’s about playing Football League games. It will be a great experience to get some minutes under my belt and see where that takes me.

He added: “It’s a good club, looking to go places so for myself it was quite an easy decision when I heard they were interested.

“Every young player has aspirations to play at a higher level but at the minute Oxford is a great club for me to play some games and hopefully push them up the league. It’s all about small steps.”