Former Hammer Reece Oxford is unlikely to start for Bundesliga outlet Augsburg at the weekend as football re-starts in German.

The 21-year-old former Academy graduate has started just twice for the German club and made six substitute appearances this season.

His last appearance was November last year against Schalke 04 when he came on as a 68th-minute substitute.

Augsburg last played on 8th March against Bayern Munich, a game they lost 2-0 a game which Oxford did not even make the bench.

The former West Ham youngster is further down the pecking order and will struggle to make the bench this Saturday when Augsburg takes on Wolfsburg.

Oxford left the Hammers last summer for next to nothing. Although the transfer fee remains undisclosed ClaretandHugh understands that it amounted to as little as €2.3 million which, to make the deal happen, was swallowed in fees to the agents and player who was forced to take a wage cut to join his new club.  However, the club saved £20,ooo a week – or nearly £2 million over what would have been the final two years of his deal – off the wage bill over the next two years.