Bristol City and Portsmouth handed double transfer blow by West Ham | OneFootball

Freddie Potts and George Earthy spent last season on loan at Portsmouth and Bristol City

Bristol City and Portsmouth have suffered a setback with West Ham unlikely to offer up Freddie Potts and George Earthy for loan deals.

According to The Standard, Graham Potter is considering integrating the young pair into first-team plans for next season.

Earthy and Potts spent the previous campaign on loan with the Robins and Pompey, respectively, but will not be returning for another year.

Both players played 37 times each for their respective clubs in the regular Championship season, with Earthy helping Bristol City earn a place in the play-offs under Liam Manning and earning two more appearances in that time.

West Ham set George Earthy and Freddie Potts transfer stance

West Ham are preparing for another Premier League campaign, with Potter’s side currently undergoing pre-season before next month’s opening round of games.

Earthy and Potts have returned to the squad as part of those preparations, with it now being claimed that the Hammers are set to include them in their plans for the upcoming season.

The pair have impressed Potter during their time in the second division, and it’s understood they will not be loaned out again at this moment in time.

The midfielders have travlled to Germany with the West Ham squad, and are also set to be a part of their tour in the US later this month.

This will come as a blow for Bristol City and Portsmouth, who will be unable to bring the players back for another year.

Former Bristol City boss Liam Manning expressed his desire to re-sign Earthy before the end of last season, although he's now moved on to Norwich City as manager, whilst Portsmouth manager John Mousinho didn't shut the door on re-signing Potts as recently as last week.

Bristol City and Portsmouth’s summer plans

Bristol City appointed Gerhard Struber as manager earlier this summer, and have already added Emil Riis, Joe Lumley, Adam Randell and Yu Hirakawa to their squad in the transfer market.

It remains to be seen whether the Austrian would’ve wanted to bring Earthy back to Ashton Gate, having not worked with him last season.

Meanwhile, John Mousinho’s side have added just one player so far this summer, bringing Adrian Segecic to the club from Sydney FC.

Bristol City and Portsmouth won’t be too surprised by this decision by West Ham, and it shouldn’t have major ramifications for their summer business.

Both Earthy and Potts were quite useful parts of their respective sides last season, and another year at Ashton Gate and Fratton Park could’ve been good for their development.

But if Potter is planning on using them in their first team squad, then that will ultimately be the course both players want to take at this stage of their careers.

Perhaps if they don’t end up getting regular game time then a loan move in January could be on the cards, but Portsmouth and Bristol City should move on now and look elsewhere if they want to bolster their midfield options.