Reece Oxford is delaying reopening contract talks with West Ham according to the Daily Mail. The midfielder has two years left on his deal at the Olympic Stadium, but The Hammers want him to sign a new one in order to ward off interests from the Manchester clubs and others.
Oxford was a surprise hit when he got into the first team last year, appearing in several European games and ended up playing seven times in the Premier League, remaining an unused substitute another 15 times. He is expected to have an even bigger season this time round, and West Ham want to tie him down on a longer deal.
There has been substantial interest in Oxford for most of the last year, especially from the north-west. With Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho having taken over at the two Manchester sides, they have both expressed a keen interest in taking the 17-year-old to Manchester, while Oxford isn’t believed to be against the idea of moving. However, he is focused on the new year, showing his commitment to Slaven Bilic’s West Ham before what could be a big season.
The suggestion in the past has been that the two parties – player and club – have been far apart in their evaluation of the wages they think Oxford is worth, while the midfielder’s representatives want a deal more reflective of the fact that the club value his talents in the region of £15 million.
