Portsmouth make loan enquiry for West Brom goalkeeper Josh Griffiths
Portsmouth are among a clutch of clubs who want to sign West Brom goalkeeper Josh Griffiths this summer, according to talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook.
Griffiths, 19, has spent the entirety of the 2020/21 campaign on loan at Cheltenham Town who he helped to win the League Two title and promotion into the third-tier of English football.
His heroics in goal have boosted his profile considerably as Crook wrote on his personal Twitter profile, “Portsmouth are one of a number of clubs who have registered an interest in West Brom goalkeeper Josh Griffiths. He is six foot six inches tall and excelled on loan at Cheltenham this season.”
The Albion talent penned a four-year deal with the West Midlands club in 2019, tying him down until 2023, and it appears he will be kept on the books with a permanent deal seemingly ruled out by Crook.
In response to one Twitter user enquiring whether any potential Griffiths move would be a loan or permanent, Crook simply replied “loan”.
Makes sense
Selling Griffiths is simply out of the question as he has a huge future ahead of him and should be competing for a starting spot in the Albion side in the next few years.
It’s probably premature to thrust him into the action next season as we drop back down to the Championship, given he has been playing two steps below in League Two in his first campaign of professional football at senior level.
However, he has proven he has already outgrown that division and is ready for the next step.
That probably comes at a League One club with lofty ambitions.
Portsmouth narrowly missed out on the play-off positions this season, finishing two points behind Oxford United after fluffing their lines on the final day with a 1-0 defeat to Accrington Stanley.
Therefore they will be among the frontrunners for automatic promotion next season and could provide the perfect next destination for Griffiths to continue his development.
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