Out-of-contract next month, yet in talks over a new deal, Jack Whatmough has spelt it out clearly – he wants to stay at Pompey as Fratton Park is where he sees his future.
Pompey haven’t confirmed a retained list but Whatmough, it seems, is in talks over a new contract so shouldn’t follow captain Michael Doyle in leaving the club, set to be joined at pastures new by Enda Stevens, heading to Sheffield United, with a little uncertainty about Paul Cook’s own future?
Now back from a trip to Marbella with the Pompey squad, Whatmough admits he ‘needs games’ but wants them on the south coast.
He told the News: ‘I would love to stay at this club end of. There is nothing more to it, it’s as simple as that. I want to be at this football club next season. I need games, but to be part of something like this in a title-winning season has been fantastic. I have loved every single minute of it.’
Despite being limited to 12 appearances Whatmough still felt a part of the League Two winning side.
Adding: ‘Although I haven’t played as many matches, I still feel part of it. At the end of the day, no matter what is happening, I am happy with my football, I have won the league, I am delighted with that. I’m 20 and have just won silverware with the best bunch of boys I know.’
Whatmough, 20, knows he’s got plenty of years ahead of him and will bide his time to get back into the starting XI… at Pompey.
‘I’m patient about my first-team chances, I don’t think I can go rushing into something at 20 years of age saying “I want to do this”. I have won the league with some people I will be friends with for life and want to remain part of that.’
If, all being well when, a deal is signed off the battle to force his way into the team ahead of first choice pairing Christian Burgess and Matt Clarke would start, having pushed himself ahead of Tom Davies.
He said: ‘I’ll do what I can to break into the first-team and I want to remain. Apart from my dad, who hails from up north, all my family are Portsmouth born and bred. It means just as much to them as it does me to be here.’
Well, I have to say this is as much of a no-brainer for me as it is Whatmough – he’s the future of Pompey and MUST stay.
Only one thing would prevent a new long-term deal for me, doubts about his fitness following serious injury. It seems he’s over these though and if we don’t tie Whatmough down someone else will snap up the defender, which would be at our cost.
PLAY UP POMPEY
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