'That’s always been the dream' - Portsmouth's on-loan West Ham midfielder reveals thoughts on his future as Fratton Park stay nears end

The midfielder, who is currently on a season-long loan at PO4 from West Ham, has admitted he’s loving life with the Blues, for whom he has made 27 appearances this season. Speaking to the Hammers’ official website, the 21-year-old said playing in front of a packed out Fratton Park provides him with an adrenaline rush that’s hard to replicate.

He also claimed his time on the south coast has already made him a better player. But despite the huge affection the player has built up for Pompey since arriving on August 26, 2024, the Hammers remain his one true love - and it’s in east London where Potts still wants to achieve his footballing ambitions.

Speaking on the video ‘Freddie Potts life on loan’, the midfielder - who has made two senior appearances for the Irons, after joining as a six-year-old - said: ‘I want to be a West Ham player. I want to start in the West Ham first team - that’s always been the dream of mine. However it happens that’s the mission I want to try and achieve.’

Key player for Pompey

The news will no doubt come as a blow to the Fratton faithful, who have seen the loanee establish himself as a key player for John Mousinho’s side this season in the Championship.

Twenty-five of the midfielder’s 27 appearances to date have come in the way of starts, with his absence against Cardiff on Tuesday night interrupting an impressive run of match-day involvements that stretched back to his debut against Burnley on September 21.

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Potts is unlikely to feature against Oxford United on Saturday as he continues to recover from a calf injury picked up against Sheffield United last weekend. A return against QPR on Saturday, February 22, at Fratton Park remains on the cards, though - something that will please the youngster given his admiration for the PO4 faithful.

‘Yeah, the Portsmouth fans, they're incredible,’ Potts added. ‘There's not many stadiums that can sort of generate the same atmosphere as it can at Fratton Park when it's full.

‘It gives you that sort of adrenaline rush that you sort of want before a game.

‘When you're lining up to play, you can really feel the adrenaline get to you and you want the whistle to blow and to get going.

‘Once you feel the energy, you know, you can feel it as a player and you want to win.

‘I knew that before I joined Portsmouth. I knew the fans was a massive factor of why I wanted to come here.

‘I played against Portsmouth last year at Wycombe and when I've come here, I've always said that this has been the toughest place to play, especially when the fans are behind the team and the players are playing with the intensity of the crowd.

‘These are the environments that you want to be playing in. It's just been so good for my development and my progress so far. I'm really proud of it so far.’

Calf problem

Providing an update on Pott’s current injury on Tusday night, Mousinho said: ‘Freddie felt his calf at the weekend and we scanned it on Monday.

‘It’s nothing major, he’s going to be out for about 10 days and hopefully back for QPR (February 22).

‘I would say he’s 50/50 for Oxford. I just think with where we are going at the moment and the way that every pitch is, being really heavy with the rainfall we’ve had, it is probably not worth risking him.’

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