West Ham United supremo David Gold has defended the club's decision to loan out talented youngster Reece Oxford.

The 18-year-old defender has linked up with Championship side Reading on loan until the end of the season and a number of West Ham fans have been unhappy to see him go as they believe the Hammers are not providing their youngsters with enough of a chance.




But Gold has quickly defended the decision to send Oxford to Reading and explained that West Ham manager Slaven Bilic feels the defender is better off playing on a regular basis than being on the bench at the London Stadium.

The co-chairman wrote on Twitter: "The manager believes that Reece will be better off playing in the Championship for the rest of the season than sitting on the bench."
 


Oxford made just two first team appearances for West Ham this season, prior to the loan, with both coming in the club's Europa League qualifiers in the summer.

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It was a decrease in the action he enjoyed with the Hammers last term, when he clocked up 14 first team appearances over the course of the campaign.

Oxford joins a Reading side fighting for promotion to the Premier League.

Jaap Stam's men currently sit in third spot in the table, three points off second placed Newcastle United, though they have played two games more than the Magpies.