Insider: Why Portsmouth loanee Cameron Pring is destined to be a Championship regular

That is the verdict of the Express & Star’s Liam Keen, who was impressed with the left-back’s loan stint at League Two Walsall last term.

Pring has joined Pompey on a season-long loan from Bristol City and is pencilled in for his debut against Colchester in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday night (7pm).

Yet Keen believes the player can go higher than League One.

He told The News: ‘The biggest compliment I can give Cam Pring is that he is definitely above League Two level.

‘In fact, while he may not yet be ready for Bristol City’s first-team, I can see him playing in the Championship in the future.

‘He’s a good signing for Pompey and I imagine would help the club in another campaign for promotion.

‘Cam is particularly quality going forward and looks like the winger he used to be.

‘He has that build of a winger, that close control, puts in good crosses and can get to the byline to deliver them.

‘When he played for Walsall he did very well, although there was a bit of a problem keeping on the pitch

‘Cam had two or three spells on the sidelines through injury. Never huge issues but keeping him out three or four games at a time and long enough to dispute his season.

‘He also had home-grown Callum Cockerill-Mollett pushing him, who is a more defensive full-back and would come in for certain games.

‘The manager, Darrell Clarke, mentioned he wanted to make some of the loan deals permanent, but never felt he could do that with Cam.

‘He was quoted that he felt Cam was potentially good enough to be around City’s first-team – and I agree. I’m sure it will happen in the future.’

Pring made 23 appearances for the Saddlers in 2019-20, yet has so far never played above League Two level.

That will now change at Fratton Park, although City have a recall option in January.

Keen added: ‘I’d say Cam suits a wing-back role more than anything, which Walsall played at the start of the season, before changing it.

‘However, he is pretty solid in a back four and defensively not bad at all – but his strength is going forward.

‘Walsall largely went with a 4-4-2 and then 4-2-3-1 later in the season, with the occasional outing of wing-backs.

‘But Cam mainly played in a back four, showing plenty of interest in getting forward, which suits his game.’

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