Opinion: Agreeing transfer with Luton Town could help heal some old wounds for Portsmouth | OneFootball

There is an old cliche in football about never catching feelings for loan players, and last summer, Portsmouth will have been able to atest to that as much as anyone.

The 2021/22 season saw Pompey enjoy the services of a number of on loan players, who produced some high quality performances during their time at Fratton Park.

Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu was an impressive presence between the posts for the South Coast club, where his form saw him identified as one of the top goalkeepers in League One last season while on loan from Manchester City.

Meanwhile, Leicester striker George Hirst made a considerable impact in front of goal last season for Pompey, eventually scoring 15 goals in 46 goals while at Fratton Park.

Elsewhere, although centre back Hayden Carter only joined on a temporary deal from Blackburn in that season’s January window, he too became a major hit during time at the club.

Admittedly, Bazunu’s rise meant it always looked unlikely he would return to Fratton Park, with the goalkeeper ironically joining local rivals Southampton.

However, it did appear as though the club were ready to pursue permanent deals for both Carter, and Hirst in the summer window.

Given the success both players had at Portsmouth, they would have been popular agreements to get done, although ultimately, neither would materialise, with Carter instead remaining with Blackburn, where he was for a period joined by Hirst himself on loan, albeit the striker has now returned to League One Ipswich.

As a result, that will have made the summer window a rather tough one to take for Portsmouth, given that disappointment of missing out on those loan players supporters also seemed desperate to see back at the club.

Now though, it seems the club will be aiming to heal some of those old wounds again, when the transfer market opens once more in the summer.

Back in January, after goalkeeper Josh Griffiths was recalled from his loan spell at Fratton Park by parent club West Brom, Pompey moved to secure themselves an alternative first choice ‘keeper, in the form of Luton Town‘s Matt Macey.

Since making that move to the club, the 28-year-old has certainly had a positive impact, keeping four clean sheets and helping Pompey to four wins in his seven league appearances so far.

Having made some big saves in those performances, Macey himself is now emerging as a popular figure at Fratton Park, and as such, it is probably no surprise that manager John Mousinho has now admitted he is keen on a permanent deal for the Luton ‘keeper.

Given how things went in the 2022 summer window, you imagine Portsmouth fans will know not to get too excited about that just yet.

Even so, the fact Luton have other options between the posts, and that Macey will no doubt be enjoying the success he has had at Fratton Park, may give some hope that a deal could still be done.

With that in mind, you feel once again that Portsmouth should be doing all they can to make this move happen, and if they succeed with that, it could go some way to easing those frustrations that have gone before.