West Ham have 'excellent' and 'top-level' prospect at club in head-turning Portsmouth update

West Ham have a future 'top level' prospect on their hands in midfielder Freddie Potts, according to Portsmouth manager John Mousinho.

The 21-year-old is spending the season on loan at Fratton Park in the Championship. It's been a very difficult start for the newly promoted South Coast side but Potts has been one huge positive having muscled his way into the starting XI.

The Hammers' academy product dazzled on loan at League One outfit Wycombe Wanderers last season, being named Supporters' Player of the Year and the Young Player of the Year by fans at the club. Pompey then snapped up the rising star on loan towards the end of August with Mousinho admitting that the midfielder had been 'a target throughout the summer'.

Potts, who has three first team appearances to his name at West Ham, found himself on the bench at Portsmouth in his opening two league matches but has now gone on to start the last four fixtures against Burnley, Sheffield United, Stoke City and Oxford United.

Portsmouth boss praises ‘top level’ player

Pompey are still looking for a first win of the season and sit 23rd in the second tier, but Potts has still earned plaudits for his efforts. Mousinho told The News: "I think Freddie has been excellent coming into the side. He struggled along with everyone at Stoke, he wasn’t the only one, it was a difficult game, but overall has been really good.

"When you are asking a young lad to come in and play for the first time at this level, there’s going to be some adjustment, but I’ve been really pleased with him coming in off the back of not having a full pre-season. He’s very calm and composed on the ball, positionally very good, and also strong enough in the tackle and in his challenges to emerge with a lot of credit as a holding midfielder. His overall game has been very, very solid.

"I can see him growing - we need him to and I expect him to. I expect him to improve, he improved a huge amount last season when he was in that Wycombe side from the beginning of the season to the back. I expect him to do the same with us.

"Freddie’s head is screwed on, he comes from a really strong footballing background and is doing all the right things to give himself half a chance of becoming a top-level professional."

Potts made Europa League debut for West Ham

Potts has taken the place of former QPR man Andre Dozzell in the centre of midfield and is keeping Abdoulaye Kamara, Owen Moxon and Terry Devlin out the side. The player's West Ham debut came in a cameo against Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League in September 2021. He also came off the bench twice during the Europa Conference League campaign of the 2022/23 season.

Speaking about the player, Mousinho added: "Freddie’s performances in the middle of the park have been nice and controlled, keeping the ball, being strong and assured in the tackle. When he has done that and played at his peak, he has looked a very good player."