OPINION
Manchester City are reportedly one of the clubs that have checked out West Ham defender Reece Oxford in recent weeks.
The Sun reported on Sunday that the Premier League giants along with Borussia Dortmund and Hoffenheim watched the Hammers defender, who is frustrated to be playing for the U-23’s, last week played against Chelsea’s U-23s.
The newspaper go onto state that Man City are long-term admirers of Oxford and could boost their homegrown quota by winning the race for him.
While Oxford would no doubt jump at a chance to join Pep Guardiola’s side as on paper it’d be a dream move, he’d be throwing his career away if that situation develops.
The 19-year-old has hasn’t featured for Manuel Pellegrini’s side this season and played only 127 minutes of action for the Hammers in his 2017/18 campaign.
Oxford may have spent a lot of the season on loan at Borussia Mönchengladbach but even he only featured eight times for them, which is nowhere near enough playing time when it comes to aiding his potential.
Given that the teenager would get nowhere near Man City’s first-team and when you consider The Sun’s report suggest the Premier League title contenders may be leaning towards Oxford due to bumping up their homegrown numbers, he would not get the playing time he needs.
Oxford burst on to the scene at the Hammers in the 2015/16 season and then saw his career stall as he hasn’t been able to progress.
The frustrated defender’s career would come to a complete standstill at Man City and you can easily imagine him becoming lost in their youth system if they get his signature anytime soon.
When you consider that the defender is already on the brink of being forgotten at the London Stadium, an anonymous spell at Man City for their next few seasons would effectively put the nail in his coffin regarding his promising career despite being relatively young.
