Newcastle United and Wolves pounce for Portsmouth youngsters – report
Two teenage Portsmouth players will leave for Premier League clubs this summer, according to The News.
Neil Allen’s article [11 June] shared that academy pair Xander Grieves and Chukwudi ‘CJ’ Afumuzor are set to join Wolves and Newcastle United respectively.
The Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP), initiated by the Premier League, means the compensation fees received by Pompey for the duo will be nominal.
The news also comes after the club announced the release of its entire group of second-year scholars, with sporting director Rich Hughes admitting there is no room for an Under-21 team at this time to support starlets’ transition into professional football.
Portsmouth let young duo go as EPPP is criticised
The EPPP system states that parents must be made aware by the players’ club of any approach from elsewhere, and that the compensation amount is limited as to how much the Blues can receive – and with the pair keen to make their respective moves, there is little the club can do to stand in their way.
What the club have done, however, is added further incentives for the club based on the players’ future successes.
Goalkeeper Grieves represented the England Under-15s side in May of this year, having signed early scholarship forms at Fratton Park and even featured for Sam Hudson’s U18 side at the age of just 14.
Midfield man Afumuzor brings to an end eight years at Pompey, having scored over 20 goals in 2023-24 at various youth levels up to U16.
Following impressive investment from Tornante into various areas of the club including stadium improvement and the full-time transition of the women’s team, the academy could well be next on the list in due course.
In other Portsmouth news, Andrew Moon has shared an update on contract talks for several players.
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