Highly-regarded Crystal Palace youngster on Portsmouth radar as Blues push for more transfer business
The Crystal Palace youngster has featured four times in the EFL Trophy, scoring once
Promising Crystal Palace attacker Franco Umeh is on Pompey’s radar.
The Blues are striving to add another attacker to their squad ahead of the transfer window closing on September 1.
And The News understand the highly-regarded 20-year-old is attracting Pompey’s interest on a potential season-long loan.
Umeh, who represents the Republic of Ireland’s under-21s, primarily operates as a left winger, although ended last season as a striker for Palace’s under-21s in Premier League 2.
Eight times on the bench in the Premier League in 2024-25
Despite having still to make his first-team debut, he spent eight matches on the Eagles’ bench in the Premier League last season, yet was not called upon.
He was also an unused substitute in Carabao Cup clashes with QPR and Aston Villa during the 2024-25 campaign.
The Irishman’s only senior outings to date have come in the EFL Trophy, a competition in which he has featured four times and scored once for Palace’s Under-21s.
As a left wing-back, he lined up in the Papa John’s Trophy against a Gillingham side featuring former Pompey striker Oli Hawkins in September 2024.
Marking Umeh’s fourth outing, he scored their second in a 3-1 victory, although hasn’t featured in first-team football since, primarily representing their under-21s.
With injury hampering some of the 2024-25 campaign, he totalled 16 appearances, five goals and one assist for Palace’s under-21s.
Joined Palace from Cork in 2023
Having this summer been overlooked for their first-team pre-season friendly programme, the opportunity for regular football to aid his development appeals to the Premier League club.
John Mousinho is eager to add another striker and a winger to his squad, with Umeh capable of operating in either position - or both.
The Blues have also been tracking striker Makenzie Kirk, who was an unused substitute for St Johnstone in Saturday’s 3-0 win over Arbroath in the Scottish Championship.
Seven summer signings for Portsmouth
Pompey have already added Adrian Segecic, John Swift, Luke Le Roux, Mark Kosznovszky, Florian Bianchini, Yang Minhyeok and Josh Knight to their squad this season.
Of the seven summer recruits to date, Bianchini - who started Saturday’s 1-1 draw at West Brom - and Yang are on loan, occupying two of the Blues’ five match-day slots.
Mousinho’s men are presently 11th in the Championship, having picked up four points from their opening three league matches, although were eliminated from the Carabao Cup by League One Reading.
The transfer window shuts on Monday, September 1 at 7pm, with the Blues not only hoping to add to their squad before deadline day, but to also offload Matt Ritchie, Abdoulaye Kamara and Tom McIntyre.
Their latest signing Josh Knight, who arrived on Thursday for an undisclosed fee from Hannover 96, was not included in the Blues’ squad for The Hawthorns trip on Saturday.