West Ham attacking midfielder Marcus Browne has been confirmed by Oxford United to have joined on a season-long loan deal.
The U’s revealed their capture of the 20-year-old playmaker on both their official Twitter account and website, in what is the youngster’s second loan move away from the London Stadium, having spent time with Wigan Athletic at the start of 2017.
?? | We are delighted to announce that @MarcusBrowne14 has agreed to join the club on a season long loan #oufc https://t.co/LuIqSECunh
— Oxford United FC (@OUFCOfficial) July 24, 2018
The versatile, attack minded player, who operates in midfield, a playmaker’s role or even as a centre forward, has just one first team appearance for the Irons, having come through the youth system after joining as an eight year old.
Opinion
Browne was never going to get any sort of meaningful game time if he had stayed with the Hammers for the upcoming season, and getting a loan move sorted means he should have plenty of time to work on his game in a competitive environment. The youngster is highly rated but with the likes of Jack Wilshere and Andriy Yarmalenko joining the first team over the summer, Manuel Pellegrini would not have been picking him unless there was a serious issue, such as a suspension or injury crisis. Now it is his time to go out and impress with Oxford United, a side which should be able to match his ambitions and give him the sort of regular playing time that he is looking for. If he impresses, then Pellegrini will have a good look at him on his return to the London Stadium. At 20, Browne has plenty of time to prove himself, and this is the first step on his journey to potential stardom.