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Love Island winner Finn Tapp is expected to see out his contract with his football club, it has emerged.
Oxford City said the defender went AWOL in January to travel to South Africa to take part in the reality dating show.
He won its sixth series with fellow contestant Paige Turley on Sunday.
Mick Livesey, Oxford City's commercial director, said the club would insert clauses into new players' contracts over future appearance on TV shows.
Mr Livesey said: "He was [in breach of his contract] but I think you need to take a pragmatic sort of view: A 20-year-old lad, he's offered all this reality TV stuff.
"He has a contract, so he has to finish the contract he has with the football club.
"He's done very, very well for us."
Mr Tapp signed for Oxford City last summer after he was released by MK Dons.
"As a football club, we wish Finn all the best and I can understand everything that's going on but we have a duty of care for Finn and we've got a duty of care for the football club," Mr Livesey said.
Mr Livesey told BBC Radio Oxford: "I can assure you that all new players we sign from now on, we will be putting clauses in their contracts. I think we're going to have to."
He said: "We're an ambitious football club, we're going from strength to strength and we're looking to build. This hasn't been ideal. It is probably disruptive to the club and results."
Oxford City are currently 12th in National League South, the sixth tier of English football.
Mr Tapp has been approached by the BBC for comment.
