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Borussia Monchengladbach are keen on a permanent deal for West Ham defender Reece Oxford, who made his first start for the Bundesliga club in this week's 1-0 defeat at Freiburg. Oxford, 19 this Saturday, made only his second appearance for Gladbach on Tuesday, but sporting director Max Eberl said on Thursday that he has developed well since arriving on a season-long loan in the summer. Having joined the Bundesliga side as a possible successor for Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen, Oxford previously made just one brief appearance as a last-minute substitute in a 3-1 win against Hoffenheim in late October. But following his first full 90 minutes for Gladbach on Tuesday, Eberl has now said that they held "exploratory talks" with West Ham over a permanent deal for the defender. "Reece has made a real development, even though he only now played one full match," Eberl told reporters on Thursday. "He's done a solid job in a difficult situation." When Oxford failed to break into the Gladbach squad earlier this season, a source told ESPN FC that West Ham considered recalling the defender early this winter, but Eberl said that this idea now is off the table. "We want to at least keep him until the end of the season because West Ham could recall him after he failed to make the required appearances," Eberl said. "On top of that we have asked if it's possible to sign him on a permanent transfer, but that's early stages -- we are in exploratory talks." Referencing the current situation in German politics, where parties have so far been unable to agree on a new government following the general election in September, he added: "Hopefully they won't last as long as in politics."
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