"Really, really difficult” – Portsmouth FC doubts raised over potential West Ham summer transfer deal | OneFootball

Freddie Potts has been outstanding for Portsmouth so far this season

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

West Ham loanee Freddie Potts has impressed at Portsmouth since arriving on a season-long loan in the summer.

He has been a first-team regular at Fratton Park and has adjusted to Championship football well following a successful spell with Wycombe Wanderers in League One last season.

The mantra is ‘never fall in love with a loan player’ but, naturally, when a temporary signing does well, thoughts turn to whether it could become a permanent arrangement.

We asked our Portsmouth Fan Pundit, Miltos, whether he could see that happening in Potts’ case.

Doubts raised over potential Portsmouth FC, Freddie Potts permanent deal

Speaking to Football League World, Miltos cast his doubts over whether or not Pompey could convince West Ham to do a deal as well as Potts, saying: “I don't think we stand a chance of signing Freddie Potts on a permanent deal if I am to be honest. However, we should try to throw everything at the possibility.

“Look, Freddie Potts is far from being the finished product. He can be a really, really good and tidy player on his day, who’s got the potential to play at the highest level and there are the games where you can see he is kind of in the process of still developing as as a young player.

“He's got the ceiling to be a Premier League player, that's for sure, and that's why I think it would be really, really difficult to obtain his services on a permanent basis from West Ham.

“I think West Ham view him as a player for the future. They've obviously had a lot of youth academy graduates, leave their club and then go on and do good things for other clubs.

“So, I'm sure that if they value Freddie Potts as highly as they seem to do, then they wouldn't want to let them go cheaply, especially for a Championship club, like we are.

“So yeah, my brain tells me that it will be really tough to sign Freddie Potts on a permanent deal, but the prospect of us signing a player who is not yet the complete package, but has got the capabilities, and the time to become one is really exciting, and we should try to at least give a good go.

"And if it doesn't happen, well, it’s expected, it's going to be difficult.”

Although operating in different positions, this loan has shades of the situation surrounding Abu Kamara last season.

He was on loan at Pompey throughout the 2023/24 promotion season, performed amazingly, and questions naturally began being asked about a permanent deal.

Having boosted his profile, Portsmouth lost out on Kamara to Hull City, who now sit below them in the Championship table.

Potts, like any player, will find it difficult to break into a Premier League side packed with quality and, with just over a year left to run on his contract, may well be available for the right price.