OPINION
West Ham have finally managed to agree a loan exit for academy defender Reece Oxford, with the 20-year-old joining Bundesliga side Augsburg on loan until the end of the season.
As reported on the club’s official website, Oxford is returning to Germany for another spell after spending last season on loan at Borussia Monchengladbach.
The versatile youngster has posed some problems for the Hammers in recent seasons, with Oxford not doing enough to impress Slaven Bilic, David Moyes or Manuel Pellegrini despite his obvious talent.
The 20-year-old has himself been pushing for senior minutes, but his lack of progress and growing reputation behind the scenes has seen Pellegrini clearly dismiss him from his plans.
Now, with a loan exit finally secured, it begs the question, will Oxford ever play for West Ham again?
If an update from Guardian journalist Jacob Steinberg is anything to go by, then there is a distinct possibility that he will not.
Reece Oxford's loan to Augsburg contains an option to make the deal permanent in the summer. Hard to see him playing for West Ham again. Shame how it's turned out #whufc
— Jacob Steinberg (@JacobSteinberg) January 31, 2019
As reported by Steinberg, Oxford’s loan deal to Augsburg contains an option for the Bundesliga club to sign him permanently at the end of the season.
Should Oxford play well in the coming months then it would seemingly be a no-brainer for Augsburg to take West Ham up on such a deal.
Even if the 6’3″ colossus [Transfermarkt] does not impress in his second spell in Germany, it is still more than likely he has played his last game for the Hammers.
Other teams will no doubt take an interest in signing him permanently in the summer, and Oxford himself will not want to wait around on the sidelines at West Ham any longer.
It would take a significant U-turn for Pellegrini to change his mind about the 20-year-old, and it is now more than likely that Oxford will never be seen in claret and blue again.
