West Ham have shown complete incompetence when dealing with Reece Oxford if the latest report is to be believed.
Football.London reported that the 19-year-old defender would be sold to Borussia Monchengladbach if the Bundesliga side paid £18million for him.
The huge price tag is ridiculous but that isn’t the issue with the Hammers’ demand.
Oxford spent the first half of the season on loan at Borussia Monchengladbach, making three league appearances for them; before the Hammers recalled the defender at the start of the year.
The 19-year-old then made a woeful 60 minute cameo appearance against Shrewsbury Town for West Ham in January.
This appearance meant that Oxford would only be able to play for the Hammers or Borussia Monchengladbach in the second half of the season; with Bild reporting that you can’t be registered for three clubs during one campaign.
Now it was pretty clear ahead of this cameo that the 19-year-old defender wasn’t in David Moyes’ plans for the second half of the season; as the manager likes experience when battling relegation.
Oxford also hadn’t clearly impressed enough in training, despite suggestions of an injury, to make even a brief appearance in the Premier League.
So West Ham clearly realised that they might be keen to sell him before his outing against Shrewbury, as that’s better than having him rot away in the youth teams.
The centre-back is clearly rated by Borussia Monchengladbach as The Sun reported the German club bid £10million for him on New Years’ Day, with Football.London suggesting they have since raised their offer to £12million.
West Ham could have even got the £18million that they’re keen to get from the Bundesliga side, if they hadn’t shot themselves in the foot.
As, why would the Bundesliga side raise their bid now, when they’re the defender’s only out?
Borussia Monchengladbach aren’t going to cave on the Hammers crazy demands for Oxford, when there’s no one else for the Premier League side to sell him to in this window.
The German side are not in desperate need of bringing the defender back to the club, as shown by his limited appearances for them; they see him as a prospect for the future.
West Ham blew any chance they had of getting a huge fee for the defender in this window, by foolishly playing him in the FA Cup.
Surely someone at the club knew the rules, and would have pointed this out in order for West Ham to have leverage when negotiating Oxford’s exit.
While it’s true the Hammers might now loan him back out and renegotiate a permanent transfer in the summer, the funds that could have been gained from the sale, could have proven vital in this transfer window.
West Ham are only four points clear of the relegation zone; and are in need of strengthening their squad in this window.
The lack of January transfers so far, may worry fans, but the mess created with Oxford is the true reflection of incompetence at West Ham.
It is an epic blunder.