West Ham United is delighted to announce that young midfielder Freddie Potts has signed a new long-term contract with the Club.
The 21-year-old was joined by West Ham United Sporting Director Mark Noble at Rush Green Training Ground to put pen to paper on a four-and-a-half-year deal, committing his future to the Hammers until at least the summer of 2029.
Potts has excelled on loan in the EFL, first at Wycombe Wanderers in League One last season and more recently at Portsmouth in the Championship in the current campaign. He returned to Rush Green training ground this week to sign his contract and catch up with his West Ham teammates and staff, before returning to his temporary home at Fratton Park.
“Mark Noble rang me to say the Club wanted to offer me a new contract, and I was delighted,” said Potts. “To be given this extension is a massive moment for me. I’ve worked really hard over the last couple of seasons to earn this, and it gives me the security to push on in these final few months of the Championship season with Portsmouth and look ahead to an exciting summer.
“I’ve been at West Ham since I was five. I grew up in the area, and I’ve wanted to become a West Ham player my whole life. Hopefully, this [coming] pre-season, with the new manager coming in, brings a fresh opportunity. From what I’ve seen, it looks really exciting, so I’m eager to be part of it. My goal is to break into the first team and show what I can do at the highest level.”
Currently enjoying his second professional loan spell, Potts has been a key figure for Portsmouth as they look to establish themselves in the Championship in their first season back in the second tier in 13 years.
“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.”
Potts’ move to the south coast followed a standout 2023/24 campaign in EFL League One with Wycombe Wanderers, where he made 43 appearances in all competitions and was named Supporters’ Player of the Season. Equally admired by Pompey fans this season, the deep-lying midfielder has built a reputation for his composure on the ball and work ethic. Since breaking into the squad in September, Potts has started 27 of a possible 31 league matches, scoring once and providing four assists.
He explained: “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.”
A mentor to many of the young players coming through the Academy, Noble was the one to break the news to Potts that his childhood club wanted to extend his contract.
“Nobes is an inspiration to all of us coming through the Academy,” said Potts. “He’s been through the process himself, and to captain West Ham for so many years is something every young player here dreams of. Having him stay involved with the Club and keep in close contact, especially with those of us out on loan, is massive. It gives us belief and helps us in every way.”
Playing in a similar role to Potts during his own storied career, the former captain has followed the 21-year-old’s progress closely, having first noticed his talent over a decade ago.
“When I was captain, we used to go over to Chadwell Heath to watch the younger age groups and do some coaching,” said Noble. “I remember seeing Fred when he was in the Under-11s, you could see straight away his enthusiasm and love for the game.
“Obviously, his Dad (former defender Steve) is a legend at the Club and a hugely respected member of staff. But he's not going to play for West Ham because of that. He's going to play for West Ham because he's got the qualities and the ability and the mindset to play. It’s been great to see him do well on loan, first at Wycombe, where he had a fantastic season, and then taking the step up to go and play for Portsmouth, a fantastic club that have been great with him.”
Closely monitoring his progress at Portsmouth, Noble emphasised his admiration for the young midfielder and insists he has high hopes for him at West Ham.
The 37-year-old continued: “At this Club, you want the Academy boys who have signed long-term contracts to be at the core of the Club. Even when they’re out on loan, they’re still representing West Ham United, and Freddie is a great example of that.
“Graham [Potter] has come in and shown that if you’re good enough, you’re going to get opportunities, just like Ollie [Scarles] has. It’s going to be a massive pre-season for Fred. There’s going to be plenty of competition, as you’d expect in the Premier League, where you’re up against the best players in the world. But I truly believe he can play for us. We have such high hopes for him, and it was important to get this deal done to secure his future.”
Everyone at West Ham United would like to congratulate Freddie on signing his new contract and wish him every success for the remainder of his loan spell at Portsmouth and his future in Claret and Blue.