‘Flattering’ - Ex-Portsmouth favourite addresses West Ham transfer links

Portsmouth loan favourite Cameron Pring admits he is flattered by links of a move to the Premier League.

The Daily Mail reported in July that West Ham had 'looked at' the 25-year-old, as they search the market for a new left-back. Pring, along with the likes of Quilldschy Hartman are believed to be on the Hammers' radar but as of yet no move has been made by the London club.

A fortnight has since passed since the rumours emerged, and Pring has kept his head down and cracked on with things, appearing twice for Bristol City this season in the Championship, as Nigel Pearson's preferred choice of left-back.

He was however put forward to the media ahead of the visit of Birmingham City this weekend, and journalists posed the question to him about the transfer rumours.

“I think it’s always flattering when clubs are interested in you,” said Pring in Bristol City's press conference on Thursday.

“It sort of comes as a surprise for me as much as everyone else.

“I got a message off my friends one day and that’s literally all I heard about it. I was just as surprised as everyone else.”

Pring's time at Fratton Park was short, but he was highly thought of during his stay at the club, and they acted as his last loan club before he made the grade with Bristol City. Before joining Portsmouth, he had spells at Guernsey, Merthyr Town, Aldershot Town, Hereford, Newport County, Cheltenham Town and Walsall, and had mainly played League Two football.

He joined on a season-long loan deal back in September 2020, but it was cut short and he was recalled in early January 2021. He was 22-years-old at the time and made 15 appearances in total for Pompey, with nine coming in League One and the rest coming in the FA Cup and the EFL Trophy.

Pring frustratingly did not make an appearance for his parent club after being recalled, but has since gone on to become a key player under Nigel Pearson. He has made 64 appearances in the Championship over the last two-seasons, and is currently Pearson's preferred choice for starting left-back.

The West Country club however will need to act shortly on his contract situation with his current deal set to expire in the summer of 2024, though they do have an option to extend that by a further-year.