It’s been three-and-a-half years since Freddie Potts made his West Ham United debut, in a UEFA Europa League group-stage tie against GNK Dinamo Zagreb at London Stadium in December 2021.
Since then, having been part of the Hammers squad which won the UEFA Europa Conference League in June 2023, the Academy of Football graduate has spent the last two seasons on loan across the English football pyramid with EFL League One side Wycombe Wanderers and EFL Championship outfit Portsmouth, played 81 senior games and gained regular first-team football experience, which saw him win Player of the Year honours with the Chairboys, then sign a new contract with West Ham in March, committing his future to the Club until at least the summer of 2029.
His time at Fratton Park was one which he believes will have a huge benefit for his future career in Claret and Blue, and after he reported for pre-season training at Rush Green on Monday, Potts says he has grown on and off the pitch, having taken all these experiences to make him aware of the opportunity he has now under Head Coach Graham Potter, and outlined his determination to turn that excitement into a successful career in east London.
“I’m very, very happy to be back,” beamed Potts. “I’ve had two tough loan spells with Wycombe [Wanderers] and Portsmouth, but in the end they became really enjoyable ones as I played a lot of games. However, my return to West Ham has come at the perfect time, as I’m full of confidence at the moment and ready to show what I can do this pre-season in front of the Head Coach.
“It means a lot to me to be back here at Rush Green because I'm a massive West Ham fan. My family are all West Ham fans, and it's always been my dream to play for this incredible Club, and to be part of it was my dream when I was a kid, so now I've just got to try and work hard enough to try and prove myself in the first-team.
“It was nice to sign a new long-term contract with the Club I love [in March] and for everyone to show their continued faith in me, which gave me a massive boost, and I’m now looking forward to the years ahead here in east London.
“It’s always nice to get that side of football out of the way so I can just concentrate on my dream of being a first-team player and what’s in front of me, and to have another four years here is something that I couldn't be happier about.”
The success of a loan move can come down to a variety of different factors.
There is no doubt that on the pitch it was a hugely worthwhile endeavour for Potts, who played 38 times for Pompey in all competitions in 2024/25, scoring one goal and providing four assists for John Mousinho’s charges, helping keep the newly-promoted Hampshire side in the Championship.
But perhaps the biggest takeaway for Freddie was the experience of learning to cope without your home comforts for the first time and being away from your family, something he says has been just as valuable.
“I loved every moment of my time with Portsmouth,” added Potts. “I played enough games in the season and felt like I became at home in Portsmouth because it's a really special club, with a strong fan base who followed us home and away as well.
“It was a perfect match for me, and John Mousinho and his staff helped me out a lot, and, in the end, I became better and better and more comfortable at that level, and I was just really thankful to everyone there for making it as special as it was for me.
“I've always had the belief that I can play at any level, so the jump [from League One to the Championship] was just a matter of how much I wanted it, really, and I adapted to the Championship as the games went on and I kept my spot, which was good for me. I learnt a lot there, such as winning your own individual battles and learning to stand your ground and be a leader, especially in midfield at my age, and thankfully we achieved our goal of staying in the Championship.
“It was the first time I’ve lived away from home, so there were a lot of difficult challenges, especially at the start. I found it really difficult moving away from home on my own as well and being away from everyone back in Essex, so it was tough for me, but I learnt so much about the invaluable lessons on the pitch but also vital life skills off it.”
As well as the upcoming trip to the Black Forest of southern Germany, Potts will join Potter’s pre-season squad for the Premier League Summer Series in the United States.
Cast your mind back 12 months, and it was a time when Potts impressed in pre-season camps in Kitzbühel and the United States.
The all-round central midfielder showed his confidence on the ball, showcased a good range of passing and caused problems with his delivery from set-pieces, and this preparation time is an opportunity he is keen to make the most of again, in front of a manager who gives youth a chance if they are good enough, and continue to work hard and improve.
“It’s been a really good first few days,” Potts added. “It’s only been a couple of days, and we’ve already had some very good sessions, and I'm just really excited to keep going and have more opportunities to work with everyone because there’s no better time than pre-season to showcase what you have to offer.
“It (pre-season camp in Germany) is another opportunity for me, so I'm really looking forward to it with confidence.
“I'm excited because we've got a game against Grasshopper Club Zürich out there as well, and we can get some vital minutes into our legs.
“Having that chance to try and prove yourself against some of the better opposition in Europe is a really good opportunity, especially for me, to test myself to see where I'm at.
“I'm looking forward to showing people what I can do on the pitch and what I can bring off the pitch as well.
“He (Graham Potter) has shown that he will give Academy players a chance, and you only have to look at what Ollie [Scarles] achieved last season.
“Ollie’s an incredible player, so to see him do well in the first-team and to be given the chance and have that faith in him from the manager is something that is really exciting for me because I'm looking to do the same myself and get my Premier League debut and embark on the same journey.
“The only thing on my mind is to be playing for West Ham, so to see that players are being given the opportunities is something that's really special for me, and it's really exciting.
“There is a clear pathway, but it's down to me to show that I've got that hunger and desire to get into the first team, and that's what I'm going to try and do.”
Freddie says he finds inspiration and guidance wherever he looks in the current squad too, and none more so than recent CONCACAF Gold Cup-winning hero Edson Álvarez, where there are similarities between the two as strong and versatile midfielders, and he believes every day at Rush Green is an opportunity to work with and learn from his more experienced team-mates.
“I understand I've got a lot to prove, and I'm definitely not the finished article at all,” said Potts. “I've got a lot of players in the West Ham squad that I can look up to as role models, especially in midfield. There are a lot of great midfielders in the first-team that I can learn from, so I'm looking forward to using this pre-season to learn as much as I can from players and prove myself in the first team squad.
“I think it’s a really strong group [of players]. It’s only been a few days, but I can see already that there's a lot of role models in the team, and I think it's really important and something that’s going to be massive in my development, and being with them every day now is something that I'm really looking forward to, and hopefully we can even play together one day.
“I'd never compare myself at all to anyone in the Premier League because they're all top players, but I like the way Edson [Álvarez] plays. I think he's a really aggressive player and sort of matches me in the way I like to play. My personality definitely changes once I'm on the pitch, and I like his aggressive side of the game and the tackles he can make, and the way he can control the game as well is something that I really like watching, so I'd probably say there are a few similarities to him.”
And Potts admits he doesn’t have to look very far when it comes to finding inspiration off the pitch in his quest to hit the heights in Claret and Blue, and it comes back to his West Ham family, with the midfielder being the son of long-serving Hammers defender and U21s Assistant Coach Steve.
“He has been very influential because he's helped me out since I was here when I was five, so all my life I've had someone giving me the right advice, and obviously he's done it in the Premier League, so him trying to give me the right advice is only beneficial for me,” smiled Potts.
“He keeps me grounded as well, which is the main thing. When the highs are highs, he gives me credit, but when the lows are lows, he helps me out as well, so I’m thankful and very grateful to have someone like that in my corner.”
