A report in Daily Mail claims that Everton are eager to secure the services of Reece Oxford in the upcoming transfer window. The West Ham defender is reportedly keen to leave the club on a permanent basis in January, having failed to crack the first team under Manuel Pellegrini.
Everton, on the other hand, will be desperate to add some depth in their defensive department and thus, a move for Oxford does make sense even though the Toffees will face stiff competition from Borussia Monchengladbach and Manchester City.
Reece Oxford: Player profile
Once regarded as one of England’s best defensive prodigies, Reece Oxford’s development hasn’t exactly gone the way one would have predicted three years ago, largely due to West Ham’s reluctance to gamble on the rather inexperienced defender.
As a result, Oxford spent several loan spells at different clubs across Europe, the most recent of which was Borussia Monchengladbach.
The 20-year-old spent the whole of last season at Gladbach, where he failed to establish himself as a first team regular and this season has been no exception, with the defender spending most of his time playing for the West Ham reserves so far.
As far as his gameplay is concerned, Oxford is known for his imposing presence at the back, thanks to his 1.90m frame, which not only aids him in terms of aerial duels but makes him an intimidating figure for an attacker to deal with.
He is also quite composed on the ball, which in turn, is a key reason behind his accurate passing and distribution from the back. Additionally, the 20-year-old is blessed with brilliant positional awareness though he definitely needs to improve on his overall fitness and strength.
Why do Everton need Reece Oxford?
Everton’s hopes of clinging onto the services of Kurt Zouma were not the brightest since the start while Phil Jagielka’s retirement is just around the corner, meaning the Toffees are in dire need of some defensive reinforcements in January.
Reece Oxford, in that regard, could be an excellent choice, thanks to his imposing presence as well as excellent aerial prowess.
But most importantly, it’s his positional sense and ball distribution which makes him a tailor-made fit for Marco Silva.
Although Oxford has his own share of weaknesses in regards to his overall gameplay, being so young, it can be assumed that the 20-year-old will certainly improve in the future, especially under the guidance of Marco Silva, who is known for his ability to nurture talented footballers.