Karren Brady says that West Ham United will hold onto the youngsters currently at the club and praises Liverpool’s reported new youth policy.
West Ham United vice-chairman Karren Brady has written in her football diary in The Sun that the club will not allow youngsters to leave easily.
Brady has expressed her disappointment at West Ham letting some of their youngsters go over the past years.
The West Ham vice-chairman, though, has made it clear that the club will hold on to their younger players from now on.
The 47-year-old has also praised Liverpool for their reported new youth policy. The Telegraph recently reported that the Premier League club have put a salary cap on their academy players.
According to the reported new policy, the Merseyside outfit will no longer pay more than a basic salary of £40,000 per year to their 17-year-old first season professionals.
That will increase with bonuses such as Under-23 appearances and first-team promotions at Anfield or while on loan in the lower divisions, according to the report.
“Bill Shankly will be a happier man on heaven’s training ground when he hears Liverpool have joined Spurs and Saints in limiting first-year pros of 17 to salaries of £40,000 a year,” Brady wrote in her football diary in The Sun. “I’ve heard of one or two clubs offering 12 times that, either to keep or buy boys with talent.
“Jurgen Klopp and his academy leaders go further and, ignoring FA advice, encourage lads to play in their school or local sides. They are determined to foster the Scouse spirit that has been the heartbeat of the club.
“We have this tradition at West Ham but, over the past years, the club has let our best youngsters go. No longer. We’ll hold on to them like grim death.”
Brady’s comments about West Ham keeping hold of their youngsters could have implications for Reece Oxford.
Oxford, who is just 17 years of age and can play as a centre-back or as a defensive midfielder, has been linked with a move away from the Hammers.
According to The Sun, Premier League giants Manchester United want to sign the talented and promising teenage footballer.
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