West Ham United youngster Nathan Holland could be about to join League One side Oxford United on loan for the remainder of the season, according to the Football Insider website.
The Hammers ace was deemed the next big thing to come out of their academy, and has already broken into the first-team squad at the London Stadium, but due to the perception that he is too lightweight, one shared by former boss Manuel Pellegrini and current manager David Moyes, he hasn’t established himself in the starting XI.
Holland was on the West Ham bench for the FA Cup tie against Gillingham on Sunday evening, but he did not get onto the pitch, and now looks set to head down a couple of divisions in a bid to toughen up in a spell in senior football, rather than continue to play for the under-23s.
The Hammers youngster has impressed at that level this season, bagging 11 goals and providing six assists in just 12 matches for the younger age group, form which has previously seen the 21-year-old capped by England at under-19 level.
Holland has made four senior appearances for West Ham, but terms have said to have been agreed for him to become the latest member of the academy to head on loan to Oxford United, after Marcus Browne went in that direction last term.
The attacker can be utilised on both wings and is also adept at playing the number 10 role, and could still become a big thing for the Hammers, but he needs to toughen up a little to handle the physicality of the Premier League.
The U’s are currently challenging for promotion in the third tier, so the youngster will be involved in some pretty big matches between now and the end of the season, which will be perfect for his West Ham progression.