Farewell but not the end - Cameron McGeehan eyes potential Portsmouth future return

Cameron McGeehan won’t rule out a future Fratton Park reunion.
Cameron McGeehan thoroughly enjoyed his loan period with Pompey. Picture: Daniel Chesterton/phcimages.comCameron McGeehan thoroughly enjoyed his loan period with Pompey. Picture: Daniel Chesterton/phcimages.com
Cameron McGeehan thoroughly enjoyed his loan period with Pompey. Picture: Daniel Chesterton/phcimages.com

But, for the moment, the Belgian top flight represents his footballing home following a switch to KV Oostende.

Kenny Jackett had been hopeful of securing a Pompey return for the loanee midfielder, who made 17 appearances last season.

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However, parent club Barnsley instead last week sold McGeehan to Oostende, where he signed a three-year deal.

Nonetheless, the 25-year-old revelled in his time on the south coast.

And he can foresee coming back to the city in which his mother was born and grandma still lives.

He told The News: ‘I’m 25 now and it would be lovely to return to Pompey later in my career, 100 per cent.

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‘I think it was going to be a tough one to join permanently in the end, which is what I would have wanted.

‘I spoke to Kenny a lot after the end of the season and, up until a couple of days ago, I was still speaking to him.

‘He was keen for a loan or a permanent, but Pompey just couldn’t quite get there with the finances.

‘It wasn’t my side but Barnsley’s – it was all to do with that sort of stuff.

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‘A loan return was probably the strongest possibility, but I’m not sure Barnsley would have let that happen considering I was entering the final year of my contract. They were keen for something to be done permanently.

‘The day I signed for KV Oostende, I rang Kenny out of respect and he was very classy about it, he understood why I had gone there.

‘Mark (Catlin) called me to say thanks and wish me good luck, which showed the class of the two guys.

‘They understood and said I’d be welcome back later in my career, which would be great.’

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McGeehan is not the only Barnsley player to make the move to Oostende, with team-mate Toby Sibbick joining on a season-long loan.

The clubs share owners – Pacific Media Group – while ex-Barnsley chief executive, Gauthier Ganaye, also serves the Belgian First Division A club.

McGeehan added: ‘I know the CEO on a personal level and, when he moved there, I kept in touch.

‘He then told me: “There’s something you might be interested in, your attributes may be suited out here”.

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‘It’s something fresh and exciting. I have always been interested in playing abroad, so it ticked quite a few boxes for me.

‘It’s an ambition I’ve always had, but never thought would happen. This is probably the best chance to go and do it.

‘If I turn it down now, it might be something I later regretted.

‘There are some big clubs in this league as well, such as Anderlecht and Club Brugge.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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