Transfer gossip: Portsmouth ‘monitoring’ West Brom ace Jed Wallace but face competition with Championship rivals
Jed Wallace amassed 121 appearances for Pompey after rising through the ranks at Fratton Park and now plies his trade at West Brom
Pompey are ‘monitoring’ Jed Wallace’s current situation at West Brom, according to reports.
The Blues have been credited with an interest in the forward, who is entering the final months of his deal in the West Midlands.
The 31-year-old has just three months remaining on his terms at The Hawthorns, with his future still unclear amid suggestions of the Baggies’ desire not to extend his stay earlier in the season.
Pompey linked with Jed Wallace homecoming
Indeed, a fresh report from SportsBoom has tipped Wallace with a potential homecoming to Fratton Park at the end of the season - 11 years after he initially bid farewell to the south coast.
The left-field claim has named the Blues as one of three Championship sides who are believed to be tracking the winger - although the other two have not been revealed.
Mousinho’s men are said to be ‘monitoring’ the Fratton Park academy product, but are focusing their attention on remaining in the division at present.
It’s been a difficult campaign with West Brom for Wallace, who has netted three goals and provided two assists in 23 outings to date.
The Baggies, who recently confirmed James Morrison as their third head coach of the campaign, sit level on points with Pompey in the standings and are firmly in the hunt for survival in the remaining weeks.
The ex-Millwall forward is now entering the final months of his four-year deal at The Hawthorns following his free-transfer switch from The Den in June 2022.
During his three-and-a-half-year stay with West Brom, Wallace has so far netted 16 goals and registered 16 assists in 148 appearances in all competitions.
Now left-field reports are claiming a return to the south coast could be on the cards for the attacker, with his Baggies deal ticking down.
Jed Wallace’s Pompey career
Wallace, of course, rose through the ranks at Fratton Park and made his senior debut in a 3-0 League Cup defeat to Plymouth Argyle in August 2012, aged 18.
The Blues academy product went on to amass 121 outings for his boyhood club, netting 30 goals and providing 12 assists prior to his switch to Wolves in June 2015.
The tricky forward also bagged The News/Sports Mail 2014-15 Player of the Season award in his final campaign on the south coast, with Pompey finishing 16th in League Two.
And the former England youth was diplomatic when asked at the time about the prospect of playing for his boyhood club again, while highlighting the potential danger of doing so.
‘I don’t know, I don’t know,’ the West Brom skipper said, when asked if he’ll play for the Blues again.
‘I’ve never thought about it in my mind, but sometimes it’s not good to go back.
‘Even the way I left there was no animosity, and the fans have always been great with me. It was the perfect fit for me to start my career.
‘I’ve always got an eye on Pompey, and I’ve got family who’ve got more than one eye on it.
‘It’s within the family now and we all want Portsmouth to do well, so hopefully next season they are still in the Championship.’