West Ham stud Reece Oxford joins Gladbach on loan

Prodigious West Ham midfielder Reece Oxford is set for a Bundesliga baptism after the 18-year-old agreed to a loan switch to Borussia Monchengladbach.

Gladbach announced the move with a statement on its website Wednesday, adding that the England youth international has put pen to paper on a one-year temporary move with the club.

After starring in his Premier League debut as a 16-year-old against Arsenal two years ago, when Oxford's smothering marking of the Gunners' midfield maestro, Mesut Ozil, was widely celebrated, the lanky north London-born youngster would go on to make a scant seven appearances for the Irons.

Oxford then spent the last half-season on loan with Reading after signing a four-and-a-half-year deal with the east London lot, and with the ability to play both as a defensive midfielder and centre-half, Gladbach has a future star in its camp for the 2017-18 campaign.

"Reece Oxford has played for England at youth level and is considered one of the country's best young defensive talents," Gladbach sporting director Max Eberl said.

"This loan deal gives us the chance to add a very interesting player to our squad. On top of that, we've had good experience with signing young Premier League players in the recent past."

An unconventional but not unprecedented temporary switch from England to Germany, West Ham will hope Oxford's growth mirrors that of another youngster whose skills were refined at the Stadion im Borussia-Park: Andreas Christensen.

Christensen, 21, spent two seasons on loan with the North Rhine-Westphalians from Chelsea, and the Dane emerged as a composed centre-half presence. Two seasons later, the defender is set to fight for a spot in Antonio Conte's squad, and West Ham will long for a similar result for Oxford.