Five West Ham wonderkids to look out for next season

Manchester United, Arsenal, Southampton, Liverpool, and Everton. These are just some of the clubs that have produced a plethora of superstar’s through their academy over the years.

There was ‘Fergie’s Fledglings’, where the likes of David Beckham, Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs made the Red Devils what they are today, one of the biggest clubs in the world. While the rest have produced players such as Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott, Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Wayne Rooney, there really is only one ‘Academy of Football’.

West Ham have inherited the name of the ‘Academy of Football’ simply because of the amount of English talent that has burst onto the scene. Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Jermain Defoe, Glen Johnson, Michael Carrick, Joe Cole. The list just goes on and on. In recent years, the number of academy prospects breaking into the first team has dramatically decreased, with Mark Noble and James Tomkins the most notable academy graduates still going strong in the colours and blue.

Every Hammers fan loves to see an exciting talent take the pitch by storm, so here are a few names to look out for in the future for the Upton Park outfit….

Click on Upton Park to reveal

Reece Oxford

This 16-year-old prodigy has turned the heads of the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United.

However, Oxford sensibly rejected approaches from the so called ‘big boys’ of the Premier League and opted to stay in east London by signing his first professional contract at the club last month.

Oxford was on the verge of becoming West Ham youngest ever player when he was on the bench for games against Liverpool and Manchester United. Oxford has also captained the West Ham U-21 side, and has already represented the England U17’s.

The talented youngster is said to be the next Rio Ferdinand, with tall stature meaning he wins a lot of aerial duels, and is blessed with surprising pace despite being a centre-back.

The one factor Sam Allardyce can’t do is put too much pressure on the young lad. A certain Jordan Spence was once tipped for big things, but Spence slipped toward the lower regions of football.

Reece Burke

Like Tomkins and Noble, central-defender Burke could be on course to become a one club man.

The towering 17-year-old has been with the Boleyn Ground side since the age of nine. After performing solidly in Steve Potts’ U-18 side, Burke is now a regular starter in the development squad.

Burke has also been selected in the first team in the odd occasion, starting in the Capital One Cup defeat at the hands of Sheffield United, and also scoring the winner in the 3-2 curtain raiser friendly win against Italian side Sampdoria last August.

Could a centre-back partnership of Oxford and Burke be the future dream for West Ham ahead of the Olympic Stadium move?

Jordan Brown

 

Brown was formerly of the Arsenal academy, but opted to leave to go to the Hammers as he thought a brighter future might lay ahead for him.

He’s certainly showing off his bags of potential, netting seven times in 12 appearances for the U-18’s.

This has prompted him being promoted to the Development squad where he has played five times for them already this season.

For him to quit the Gunners in order to make a success of himself just shows the commitment and determination of the pacey forward, and is certainly one to keep an eye on for the future.

Oscar Borg

Like Oxford, Borg has caught the eye of some of the Premier League’s top clubs, and was moments away from joining Manchester United.

However, Borg was swayed to stay at West Ham, much to the delight of the Hammers.

Left winger Borg has been dubbed the ‘next Gareth Bale’, due to his athleticism and blistering acceleration, something brutally effective to the opposition.

At 16, Borg has already featured for the U-21, and he is eligible to play for both England and Turkey, with a fierce tug of war taking place for his allegiance. For the U-18’s, Borg has scored three goals in eight games.

Much like Oxford, Borg needs to remain grounded and carry on what he does best, flying down the left wing and breezing past opposition full backs at will.

Joe Powell

In the dramatic FA Cup third round replay against Everton at Upton Park, Powell, as well as Oxford, where presented at hall-time where they committed there future’s to the club.

We all know the Oxford could potentially become a top quality player for the East Londoners, but what about Powell?

He is looking to do better than his older brother Jack, who was released by the Hammers and resulted in him joining Millwall. 16 year old Powell is an attacking midfielder who has been with the club since U-9 level, and is now a regular fixture in the U-18 set up.

Powell has made six appearances for Terry Westley’s side, and is on the same path as his fellow teammate Oxford.