Is Reece Oxford indicating a return to West Ham?
Many fans questioned the decision to send Reece Oxford out on loan to Reading during the January transfer window.
The teenage defender, fresh off signing a new long-term contract with the club, was on the fringes of the first-team before a decision was made to let him leave on a temporary basis.
Oxford had struggled with injuries this season but after getting himself back fit, fans were excited to see him back in the team, but that return was put on hold.
Reading boss Jaap Stam was reluctant to play Oxford in the first-team for a number of weeks, stating the centre-back needed to get his fitness levels up and learn to be able to deal with the rigours of Championship football.
He’s appeared in the Royals’ last two games, both off the bench, but could he be set to return to east London?
West Ham were already without Angelo Ogbonna for the rest of the season before Winston Reid suffered an injury last weekend which rules him out for up to six weeks., leaving the Hammers with only Jose Fonte and James Collins as recognised centre-back options in the first-team squad.
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Oxford has taken to Instagram and uploaded a cryptic post, stating “Sometimes you have to go back to go forward”, which some are inferring as he’s being recalled back to West Ham to play for the Hammers.
Alternatively, it could be seen as him stating that he’s not progressing as he hoped to with Reading and that in order to further his game he needs to return to West Ham and continue there. It’s open to interpretation.
Time will tell if the teenage defender will return to the London Stadium in the near future.