Danny Cowley has been impressed with the form of George Hirst during his time on loan at Portsmouth this season but has admitted that whether he signs on a full-time basis is 'up to the club' as reported by The Business Magazine.
The forward has been at Fratton Park since the summer and has looked sharp during his time with the club. He's established himself as a regular in the first-team making 16 starts (with 28 games in total) and has plundered six goals and two assists.
He's helped Pompey to climb up towards the play-off spots and the dream of a top six place is still alive now for the League One outfit - and the attacker will be hoping to continue helping his temporary club to get there.
However, come the end of the campaign, he will have to return to his parent side Leicester.
Considering that he may not get a game when he returns to the Foxes, there is a possibility that Portsmouth could consider trying to snap him up on a permanent basis.
It is a move that the current Pompey boss Danny Cowley would certainly go for himself but he has admitted that the final decision on whether he can be brought back in will depend on how 'affordable' a move is, as reported by The Business Magazine.
Hirst has only ever played two league games for Leicester in his career and even they added up to a total of just 11 minutes of action. When he does return to the King Power Stadium, it seems unlikely that he will feature too much - and Cowley has now spoken out about a potential move.
The Pompey boss said: "It would be up to the club to decide what is affordable. If we were able to sign George Hirst, I would strongly recommend it.
"I’ve said that from the beginning. These are the type of young players I think we should be really trying to sign at Pompey."
The Verdict
Danny Cowley is correct in what he is saying - Hirst fits the exact age range and potential that any side would want to add to their team, especially considering his ceiling and potential value in the future.
Considering that the youngster has already proven he is up to scratch in the third tier, it isn't a risky investment either. If Pompey do happen to stay in League One come the end of the campaign, then they will know they have a player in their ranks capable of producing the goods.
If they happen to seal a promotion, then they'll still have a player with experience of the third tier who knows where the back of the net is and who has the potential to get even better. It's win-win from the viewpoint of Portsmouth, it is just whether they can afford a deal.
Leicester would be wise to cash-in on him now considering that he is unlikely to get gametime too. There is a lot of talent in the Foxes squad right now and Hirst will not want to return to sit on the bench - so a move might be the best port of call.