Reece Oxford

West Ham United

Oxford was born in Edmonton, London, and was a boyhood supporter of Arsenal. He began playing football at Tottenham Hotspur's academy but was released from the club in 2011. He then joined West Ham United at under-13 level. He turned out for the under-18 team while still an under-15 schoolboy, and made the bench for a League Cup match in August 2014, still aged 15. On 11 January 2015, Oxford signed a long-term professional contract with West Ham. Four months later, he won the Dylan Tombides Academy Player of the Year Award. Oxford made his competitive, first team debut on 2 July 2015, aged 16, starting in midfield in a 3–0 win against Andorran club Lusitanos in a UEFA Europa League first qualifying round first leg tie. In so doing, he became West Ham's youngest ever player. He then made his Premier League debut on 9 August, playing the first 79 minutes before being substituted for Kevin Nolan as West Ham won 2–0 away to Arsenal. Following his start, Oxford became the second-youngest Premier League starter of all-time, after Jose Baxter. Ahead of the 2016–17 season, Oxford was named in The Daily Telegraph's list of the best youth prospects in English football. On his 18th birthday, 16 December 2016, Oxford signed a new, four-and-a-half-year contract with West Ham. Just over one month later, he was sent on loan to Reading for the remainder of the season. He made his Reading debut on 11 March 2017 in a 3–0 away defeat to Preston North End, coming on as a…

Oxford has played for England up to under-20 level and captained his country at the 2015 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. The Young Lions reached the quarter-finals, and Oxford scored in the penalty shootout as they defeated Spain in a play-off for the 2015 U-17 World Cup. West Ham refused permission for him to play in the U17 World Cup in Chile, fearing that exposure to an international football tournament would lead to burnout.

In 2016, UEFA.com described his playing style as, "Tall and quick, he is not daunted in the face of illustrious opponents." On several occasions during his youth player career, Oxford was compared to former West Ham academy graduate Rio Ferdinand.

Oxford is of Jamaican descent through his grandfather. His grandfather, Karl, is the brother of the Jamaican footballer Neville Oxford. In December 2018, Oxford was the victim of a theft when his 18-carat Rolex watch was stolen from the changing rooms at West Ham's Chadwell Heath training ground.