West Ham United have been strongly linked with a move for Chelsea legend John Terry with Slaven Bilic admitting he is keen on the defender.
West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic
The Hammers have one of the worst defensive records in the Premier League this season and have shipped 59 goals, worse than two of the bottom three.
In fact there are only three teams with worse figures in the goals against column, so it is easy to see why Bilic has been linked with defensive reinforcements.
When the news broke last week that 37-year-old Terry would be leaving Stamford Bridge this summer, West Ham were the first club linked.
A number of pundits, including Ray Wilkins and Harry Redknapp, publicly backed the prospect of Terry returning to the club where he started his youth career.
And Bilic fanned the flames when he refused to rule out a move for the Hammers hate figure in his pre-match press conference last week, as reported by ESPN.
“We are going to see,” Bilic said.
“I’m a big admirer of John, he is one of the best that ever played, not only in that position but in general.
“He won everything, he did everything and we are talking about an England captain, a true leader.
John Terry will leave Chelsea this summer
“We are pretty well covered in that position, we have quality and we have experience, but we will see.
“You never say never.”
Many West Ham fans have voiced their displeasure at the prospect of Terry joining the club, despite the fact he comes from a family of Hammers fans.
But if Bilic does get his man, the club could lose two of its brightest young prospects for years after finding their path to first team football blocked again.
Reece Oxford, who shot to fame with a man of the match performance against Arsenal on his debut at the tender age of 16 last season, and Reece Burke – who has been likened to Terry – have both had loan spells with a view to getting them ready for the Hammers first team next term.
Reece Oxford (right) and Reece Oxford (centre) in training
The East Londoners came close to losing Oxford with some of Europe’s leading clubs in for him before he penned a new long term deal.
But it would surely send the wrong message to both players were West Ham to sign yet another experienced centre back to add to James Collins and fellow 33-year-old Jose Fonte.
With Winston Reid and Angelo Ogbonna also at the club Bilic would suddenly have a glut of options but little room to blood his young Reeces.
That would go against the traditions of the club as West Ham are known as the Academy of Football for their record of bringing through top class young players into the professional ranks.
Terry walked out on Tony Carr’s West Ham youth team as a 14-year-old. And now he could have a direct impact on the progression of players from the same academy over 20 years on.
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