Portsmouth midfielder Freddie Potts' message to Fratton faithful after signing new West Ham contract

The 21-year-old signed a new contract with the Hammers on Wednesday as he put pen to paper on a new four-year deal that will tie him down to the Premier League side until the summer of 2029.

Potts has been with the London Stadium outfit since the age of six, and with the Barking lad never hiding his wish to become a first-team player with his boyhood club, West Ham’s continued commitment to his career will come as a huge boost.

The midfielder travelled up to the Hammers’ Rush Green Training Ground to sign on the dotted line in the company of sporting director and club legend Mark Nobile. Yet he quickly made his way back to the south coast to link up with his Pompey team-mates for their crunch run-in to the Championship season.

The Blues have eight games of their 2024-25 campaign remaining and a four-point advantage over the relegation zone to defend as they sit 17th in the table. Potts, meanwhile, has played a key role in keeping Pompey’s head above water, making 27 Championship starts and racking up 2,365 minutes of senior football during his first taste of second-tier football.

And he’s not about to give up on adding to those appearance numbers and trying to keep the Blues safe just because he’s been offered fresh terms by parent club West Ham. On the contrary, he’s back at Fratton Park to finish the job he started.

Speaking to the Hammers’ official website, Potts reassured Pompey fans by saying: ‘It’s crunch time in the Championship, especially for us at Portsmouth.

‘Our main objective is to stay up, and at the moment, we’re on course to do that, but we need to keep picking up results.

‘Signing this new contract is a huge boost, but I still have a job to do there. I’m focused on helping Portsmouth secure survival and ending the season on a high.’

Freddie Potts proud to have support of Fratton faitfhul

Potts has made himself a mainstay in the Pompey midfield this season, after spending last term out on loan at League One Wycombe Wanderers.

The midfielder said the step-up - something which the Blues themselves have experienced this season - has been noticeable and proven to be a challenge. Yet he’s enjoyed the challenge and feels privileged to have had the backing of the Fratton faithful during his time at the club.

He added: ‘The step up from League One to the Championship has been a challenge I’ve really enjoyed. The biggest differences are the speed and physicality of the games, the intensity at which teams play, and the atmosphere in the stadiums. I’d say Fratton Park has the best atmosphere in the league. I’ve loved every minute of it and thrived on the challenge.’

Pompey and Potts kick-start the run-in to the season with a home game against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday, before the midfielder returns to east London the following weekend when the Blues travel to Millwall.

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