Leyton Orient's stance on second Spurs transfer agreement becomes clearer - It may rest on Charlton Athletic condition | OneFootball

Leyton Orient are keen to retain the services of goalkeeper Josh Keeley, who's been on a season-long loan from Tottenham Hotspur.

Leyton Orient are keen to retain the services of on-loan goalkeeper Joshua Keeley, but whether they're able to may depend on how they get on in their League One play-off final against Charlton Athletic.

Play-off finalists Leyton Orient are hoping to retain the services of goalkeeper Joshua Keeley next season, though whether they'll be able to do so may be out of their hands.

The stopper was the hero of their League One play-off semi-final against Stockport County, saving a penalty from Jack Diamond in the shootout which booked them a place at Wembley for an all-London final against Charlton Athletic.

Orient want to keep Keeley, but this may depend on their play-off final result

Journalist Alan Nixon this morning revealed that Orient would like to keep Keeley with them for next season, but warns that this may come to depend on whether they get promoted or not.

According to Nixon, Orient may need to gain promotion in next Sunday's play-off final against Charlton in order to re-sign Keeley, who could be ready for Championship football next term.

Such a situation demonstrates the inherent risk of lower division clubs taking on key players on loan from bigger clubs; if they're successful, they're less likely to stay for the following season.

Josh Keeley has been a class act for Leyton Orient this season

Such have been the quality of Joshua Keeley's performances for Orient this season that whether they can keep hold of him for another season may come down to whether they can offer him Championship football next season themselves.

Keeley signed for Spurs in July 2022 from the Irish club St Patrick's Athletic and was loaned out to National League club Barnet in the January 2024 transfer window. He impressed enough that, when he returned, he was sent out on a season-long loan to Leyton Orient in League One, a level two divisions higher than that at which he'd playing with the Bees. He also earned himself a new three-year contract with Spurs.

His 2024/25 season at Orient has been excellent, with his team grabbing the final play-off place after ending their season with a run of five straight wins from their last five games. He kept 16 clean sheets for them and conceded less than a goal a game, and they're now just one match from a return to the second tier for the first time since 1982.

Such performances will only provoke interest in Josh Keeley from Championship clubs

A solid and consistent goalkeeper is a crucial component for any team looking to have a successful season, and the success of Keeley's loan spell at Brisbane Road will alert some at a higher level to his potential availability for next season.

Should Leyton Orient beat Charlton in the League One play-off final, there would be a solid case for him to stay with the club. Continuity would be better for both the player and Orient, and with another Spurs loanee, Jamie Donley, also having been a success at Orient this season, there is already a close link between Spurs and the East Londoners.

But should they lose this match, the equation starts to look somewhat different. The player himself will want to test himself at this higher level, and Spurs themselves will likely want it as well, so that they can assess whether he's worth retaining on their books in the long-term.