Defender left West Ham in the summer for Augsburg.
Four years ago Reece Oxford seemed like a superstar in waiting. Having made a successful debut for West Ham at just 16 against Arsenal, future success beckoned.
If you had asked where he would be in 2019, answers like Real Madrid or Mancheser City might have been forthcoming. Not Augsburg.
Yet that is where the talented youngster ended up, after a frustrating four seasons toiling and trying to live up to the hype.
Oxford was held back by Slaven Bilic after his debut, with the then Hammers manager keen not to over expose the youngster. In hindsight it may have been an error, but he could not have foreseen such a dip in fortunes.
The problems for Oxford began with his reluctance to sign a new contract, and loan spells did not help at all.
Stints at Reading and Borussia Moenchengladbach failed to kickstart his career in the way they were intended.
He eventually signed permanently with Augsburg this summer, after a loan spell at the club last season.
A fresh start… or not?
Oxford, now 20, is no exactly off to a fast start in Germany so far this season.
To date, he has just 52 minutes to his name this season, which have come as substitute appearances across three matches.
In doing so he has filled in at both centre-back and defensive midfield, showing he is a useful utility player for Augsburg, but does not yet have a defined position.
Last season he made five starts out on loan at Augsburg, and they saw enough of him to want to bring him in.
After four games, and its early, Augsburg sit 14th with just one win. Poor results could see Oxford get a chance.
It might be a long road for him to make West Ham start missing him or regretting letting him leave, but at 20 he needs to play, and he will probably get more chances at Augsburg than had he stayed.
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