Portsmouth chief addresses likelihood of Freddie Potts return as he praises 'excellent' West Ham starlet
West Ham have high hopes for the midfielder - but Pompey would love him back
Rich Hughes is convinced Freddie Potts will be playing for West Ham in the Premier League next season.
Although Pompey’s sporting director hasn’t entirely ruled out a potential Fratton Park return for the talented midfielder.
Potts featured 38 times and scored once during an impressive season-long loan from the Hammers which tested him in the Championship for the very first time, while creating a special bond with the Fratton faithful.
Such has been the 21-year-old’s rapid development, West Ham moved to secure his future in March on a new long-term deal until the summer of 2029.
Head coach Graham Potter will run the rule over Potts when the Premier League club return for pre-season training, with their season having finished last weekend.
Invariably, though, Pompey would relish the opportunity to bring him back to the south coast on another loan.
Hughes: It’s just whether it’s going to be likely for him
Hughes told The News: ‘I cannot say I am remotely surprised that West Ham offered him a long-term contract and I know they’re really keen to get him back into their building to see how he does.
‘Fred has been outstanding for us, we’ve been delighted with him. We have helped him and he has definitely helped us. I think he has really enjoyed it as well and feels it has been a good place to play and to keep developing.
‘I don’t know whether he will come back to us, although I wouldn’t be surprised to see Fred in the Premier League next year.
‘If there was a way of doing it we would love to, there would be no reticence on our part in terms of bringing him back. It’s just whether it’s going to be likely for him in terms of West Ham's plans and thinking.
‘But he has been excellent for us this year. It was part of Fred’s development to get better with us and he certainly helped us as well. It has been a pretty successful loan for all parties.’
Shone for Wycombe
Potts had come to Pompey’s attention during the 2023-24 season, when he shone for Wycombe in League One.
Stepping up to the Championship represented the next stage of his development - which he passed with flying colours with the Blues.
Aside from a three-game spell when missing through injury, Potts was a regular starter in the league, establishing himself as John Mousinho’s first-choice central midfielder.
West Ham finished a disappointing 14th in the Premier League this season, raising the likelihood they could well turn to some of their youngsters next term, with Potts in the frame.
Regardless, should he have played his last game for Pompey, Hughes has been delighted with the youngster - both on and off the pitch.
‘A lovely young man’
The Blues’ sporting director added: ‘We felt he was a real stand-out player with Wycombe in League One, so to come and play so consistently and regularly well for us is testament to him.
‘He’s a lovely young man, high performance, low maintenance, a delight to have around the training ground. A pleasant, polite young man who works incredibly hard and is very diligent at his game.
‘He looked like a Premier League player against Norwich, without trying to pile any pressure on Fred.’