Such is the case with Premier League sides and how their academy set-ups are run, there is no guarantee of a shot at first team proceedings or, in other cases, becoming a regular feature in the first team. The skill difference is, sometimes, too extreme.
That doesn’t prevent fans from brimming with excitement every time that a youngster is named on the bench or, even better, makes their debut. And, as such, we present to you: the curious case of ex-West Ham United wonderkid Reece Oxford.
Situated in east London, the Hammers boast one of the greatest academies in Premier League history – and their status is backed up by the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard and Joe Cole. But it didn’t quite work out for the aforementioned Oxford.
Fans will remember the glowing buzz surrounding his emergence; he was rated higher than Declan Rice – now one of the greatest midfielders in world football – and he even drew comparisons to none other than Rio Ferdinand. But what happened?
Oxford’s Life at West Ham
Declan Rice’s emergence, and injuries, stunted his growth
Shining as a fresh-faced teenager (given he was 16 years of age at the time) in his maiden Premier League outing against none other than Arsenal, Oxford sprung onto the radar of plenty of top clubs. It seemed like it was only a matter of time until he got a big break.
Managing to keep the talismanic trio of Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey and Santi Cazorla under wraps, the teenage phenom starred in the engine room and, as such, caught the eye.
During the 2015/16 campaign, the versatile Oxford – one of England’s best teenagers in 2016 – made seven appearances in the league but, in the end, struggled to become a regular feature, whether that be in the heart of midfield or the action.
Incredibly, Oxford – who can either play in the middle of a back four or at the base of midfield – was viewed as the club’s most exciting talent. And that’s a compliment of the highest order considering Rice, too, was on the club’s books.
Since making the cross-London switch from West Ham to Arsenal in the summer of 2023, Rice has established himself as a key member of both Arsenal and England. The same, of course, cannot be said for his compatriot Oxford.
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It’s a struggle to point to exactly where and when things went wrong Oxford but former Hammers boss Slaven Bilic is under the assumption that Rice’s rise to stardom somewhat caused Oxford’s journey path to plateau into mediocrity.
“What helped him was that he was a bit under the radar,” Bilic admitted about Rice’s circumstances. “A couple years before, when I’d come to West Ham, I couldn’t move around the place without hearing that Reece Oxford wasn’t going to be the next big thing.
“Reece made his debut at 16 and we beat Arsenal 2-0, you can imagine the hype. He had an entourage, he got injuries, maybe lost a bit of confidence and focus.”
He continued: “Dec’s was a different story. He was able to come in without the same expectations. I remember being in Germany on pre-season and walking round the hotel and seeing him with his mum and dad. They’d come over to see him, I had a chat and they didn’t seem the type to want a lot of fuss. Things like that don’t do any harm to a young player.”
An Insight Into Oxford’s Career Post-West Ham
His last appearance, thanks to persisting injury problems, was in March 2023
What many people – and even fans of West Ham – may not know is that Oxford actually began his career in Tottenham Hotspur’s youth set-up but moved across the capital in July 2011 before becoming one of English football’s hottest commodities.
Oxford’s time at the club was, albeit exciting, rather confusing. He was loaned out to English club Reading for the second half of the 2016/17 campaign before spending time in Germany – first for Borussia Monchengladbach before a stint with FC Augsburg.
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For the former, he played just eight times and failed to jump off the page. The latter, Augsburg, signed him permanently, and he left east London in 2019. Across all competitions, he jumped ship with a total of appearances under his belt and he was ready to nail down a starting spot elsewhere.
Fitness issues, however, have prevented him from becoming what he was always destined to be: the modern-day Ferdinand. A five-cap England U20 international, he missed the entirety of the 2023/24 season through a muscle injury.
| Reece Oxford – Career Statistics | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Games | Goals | Assists | Yellow/Red Cards |
| FC Augsburg | 80 | 3 | 2 | 11/1 |
| West Ham United U21 | 43 | 5 | 2 | 8/0 |
| West Ham United | 17 | 0 | 0 | 2/0 |
| Borussia Monchengladbach | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1/0 |
| Reading | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 |
In July 2023, a report from Fox News read: “He dealt with thigh, knee, and COVID-related issues. The defender is now seeking specialist help in London during the off-season. There is no timeline for his return due to the vairty of issues and how they are slowing his recovery.”
And, well, he’s still not returned. He last played for the German club’s reserves, FC Augsburg II, in March 2023. Despite chalking up an assist, he was shown his marching orders in the 78th minute and his name continued to dwindle.
Of course, at the age of 26, there is still time for London-born Oxford to reinvent himself. Alas, he’s keen to get back to the fore – he posted on his Instagram: “Back on the pitch, back in the mix. Focused, working, and ready for what’s next.”
