Reece Oxford has shunned interest from Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United to sign a new four-and-a-half-year contract with West Ham.
West Ham revealed the three Premier League clubs were among "some of the biggest teams in the country" interested in the defender as they announced his new deal on his 18th birthday.
Oxford made his West Ham debut as a 16-year-old in July 2015 and went on to make 12 appearances across all competitions last season, but has been restricted by an ankle injury this term.
He told the club's website: "I am happy to have signed my new contract. There was a lot of speculation about my future but I am happy that it has been done and I can get back to football. "I just want to kick on now. I have made my family proud and hopefully I have made the fans proud that I have signed a new contract. Hopefully I can get into the team and help them throughout the whole season.
"I have a good relationship with the gaffer and hopefully I can get a lot of game time here. I have seen some of the old players like Joe Cole and Rio Ferdinand and I want to follow in their footsteps.
"Hopefully, I can become just as big as them or even bigger. Hopefully, I can step out and follow what they have achieved."
Manager Slaven Bilic added: "I am delighted and it is major news for both the club and the player that he has committed his long-term future to West Ham United. I really believe he has got everything. On paper he has all the abilities to become a world-class player and it is now up to him to train hard and for us to manage him well for him to fulfil it.
"We wanted him to stay and the board did everything to keep him. The interest from the other big clubs was real and that shows what a big talent he is.
"It is the right decision for him because we are a great club where he can become a top player. He has been out injured but he is now coming back and I believe in him a lot. He is a great prospect and is the leader of the pack when it comes to the younger players."
Comments
SHARE