Craig Bellamy is in talks with Oxford to become their new manager, Press Association Sport understands.

Bellamy currently works for Cardiff as their player development manager, a position he has held since December 2016.

The 38-year-old was interviewed for the Wales job last month but lost out to his former team-mate Ryan Giggs.

Wales Manager Announcement – Hensol Castle
Ryan Giggs beat Craig Bellamy to the Wales job recently (Ben Birchall/PA)

Bellamy is highly rated as a coach at Cardiff, his hometown club where he ended a distinguished playing career in 2014.

But it is understood that Cardiff would not stand in Bellamy’s way if he decides to take on his first senior managerial role.

Bellamy made over 550 appearances in his club career, playing for Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle among others, and won 78 caps for Wales.

Soccer – Carling Cup – Final – Cardiff City v Liverpool – Wembley Stadium
Craig Bellamy had a distinguished playing career at Liverpool among other clubs (Adam Davy/Empics)

Oxford are currently 15th in Sky Bet League One and five points above the relegation zone.

They have been without a manager since sacking Spaniard Pep Clotet, Garry Monk’s former assistant at Swansea and Leeds, last month.

Former England midfielder Frank Lampard was linked with the post following Clotet’s dismissal.

Soccer – FIFA World Cup 2014 – Group D – Costa Rica v England – Day Three – England Training and Press Conference – Estadio Mineirao
Former Chelsea and England midfielder Frank Lampard was previously linked to the Oxford job (Mike Egerton/PA)

But Lampard told talkSPORT in January: ‘I spoke to Dave Jones, who works at Sky and is on the board at Oxford, in the summer about the job and that is as far as it went.

“Certainly I’m working on my badges now and it’s my intention (to get into management) if the right thing comes along.

“I don’t know what the route will be – there are plenty of different routes to become a top manager and I am working there (at Chelsea with the Under-18s) now to get towards that.”