West Ham United have a proud history of developing the best talent, whether through signing them or developing them through their academy.
The best example of this in recent years is undoubtedly Declan Rice. Joining the same London club is never ideal, but he did so after captaining the team to European glory.
But not all promising players reach their potential, with Reece Oxford perhaps the club’s most talked-about young player before the Englishman.
Manager Nuno Espirito Santo will therefore be hoping West Ham’s latest exciting talent follows in Rice’s footsteps rather than Oxford.
Where is Reece Oxford today?
Ironically, Oxford’s most memorable game as a West Ham player was his full Premier League debut away to Arsenal in the club’s opening game of the 2015/16 season.
The young Englishman, just 16 at the time, started in the center of the park and was given the seemingly impossible task of stopping a Gunners side that included Mesut Ozil, Santi Cazorla and an in-form Aaron Ramsey.
Yet, far from looking foolish, he played a part in the Hammers’ famous 2-0 win and was described by then full-time manager Slaven Bilic as having ‘everything’.
However, despite such impressive performances and being considered the club’s ‘main player’ at the time, the teenager only made 11 further first-team appearances that season, according to an interview with former West Ham trainee Lewis Page, before being loaned to Reading midway through the following season.
Unfortunately, injuries limited him to just five appearances for the Royals, and after two further underwhelming loan spells in Germany, he was ultimately sold to Bundesliga side Augsburg in the summer of 2019.
Senior Careers at Oxford University | |||
|---|---|---|---|
club | game | the goal | assist |
Augsburg | 80 | 3 | 2 |
west ham | 17 | 0 | 0 |
Mönchengladbach | 8 | 0 | 0 |
read | 5 | 0 | 0 |
All stats via Transfermarkt | |||
Initially, things started to look up for this young man. Although he didn’t play every week, he was seeing more action than before. However, it didn’t last long as injuries reared their ugly heads again.
Afterwards, due to severe symptoms of a long-term infection with the new coronavirus, he will be away from first-team activities from November 2022 until he leaves the club this summer.
Unfortunately, Oxford currently has no club, but the 26-year-old still has a chance to return. That said, West Ham will be hoping their latest talent follows in Rice’s footsteps further.
West Ham’s biggest talent since Rice and Oxford
The good news for West Ham fans is that there are a number of exciting Under-21 players in the current squad, such as Callum Marshall and Oliver Scarless, but Luis Guilherme is perhaps the most promising.
The 19-year-old joined the Hammers from Brazilian club Palmeiras last summer for a fee of around £25.5 million, a high price for such a young player but could prove to be a bargain in the future.
For example, one of his best traits is that although he is primarily seen as a right winger, he is more than capable of playing all over the pitch, from attacking midfield to the left wing and even up top and as a second striker.
Additionally, those in the know are incredibly excited about his offensive potential, although his involvement in goal hasn’t always been a free-for-all so far.
Respected analyst Ben Mattinson says the Brazilian treasure doesn’t shoot enough, but when he does, his shots are of “high caliber”.
Moreover, the more Nuno uses him, and the more comfortable he becomes in the England game, the more exciting the Hammers could become.
According to Mattinson, the “electric” winger is a player who “thrives in transition” and can “get around players with ease” thanks to his “elite ball handling” and sounds like a player fans will want to keep an eye on.
Finally, while he may not reach the level of Dimitri Payet, he could be able to bring back to the London Stadium the tricks and stray runs that the Frenchman was famous for.
At least that’s what Mattinson sounds like when he describes himself as an “entertainer” who can produce “game-winning moments” like “30-yard screamers” and “playing against the players.”
After all, fans haven’t been able to fully appreciate it over the past year, but Guilherme may very well be West Ham’s most exciting prospect since Rice and Oxford, but only time will tell which player he emulates.