Wellington Phoenix boss provides exciting transfer update as Portsmouth close in on highly-rated talent
Pompey are closing in on the signing of teenage forward Luke Brooke-Smith.
Wellington Phoenix boss Chris Greenacre has confirmed Luke Brook-Smith is ‘close’ to completing his Pompey switch.
And the English head coach believes the exciting teenager is ready to make the step up to Championship football.
Reports Down Under have claimed Brooke-Smith has already delivered farewells to his Wellington team-mates and has since flown to England to finalise his switch.
Pompey ‘close’ to Luke Brooke-Smith signing
And Phoenix’s English boss Greenacre, who represented Manchester City, Stoke City and Cardiff City during his playing career, has explained the move is now in its final stages.
‘I think that’s close to happening, I’ll be honest,’ the head coach told Kiwi news outlet Stuff.
‘I’m obviously disappointed to lose Luke. He’s an integral part in terms of us playing young players and I really wanted that opportunity to work with Luke because I think we can get him to another level.
‘But obviously the powers that be decide whether it’s the right move for the player and the right move for the club, and we’ve decided it’s the right way to go.
‘It buys into what we’re doing. We want to help produce young players and if we can make a profit from them and reinvest that into the club and to the owners, that’s what we want to do. That will always be a part of our DNA.
‘I’m not surprised by it and it’s nice to have been able to play a small part in Luke’s career in terms of getting him to where he needs to go.
‘I want to work with the best players, I want to work with the best Kiwi talents and he was certainly one of those. We’ll watch his progress with envy.’
Brooke Smith will be ready to match Championship demands
Brooke-Smith will be the latest A-League talent to call Fratton Park home , with the likes of Kusini Yengi, Jacob Farrell, Thomas Waddingham, Hayden Matthews and Adrian Segecic all making the switch in recent years.
Although some have had varying levels of success on the south coast so far, Greenacre is confident the 18-year-old will succeed in the Championship.
And the head coach is adamant the winger is ready to make the ‘step up’ to English football, despite his age.
‘Only time will tell (whether the move is too early in his career). When you know him, his self-belief and the confidence he has as a player, remembering he is still very, very young and he hasn’t looked out of place in our first team environment.
‘He’s got an old head on young shoulders and I think he’s physically ready for that step up.
‘The demands there will be a little bit different to the demands here but time will tell. I think he is read for the step and I hope he takes the opportunity with both hands and if he can get a move to the Premier League from there would be amazing.’