Portsmouth have identified Kion Etete as their next striking target, as reported by The News.

The League One side have been on the hunt for a new forward and in their pursuit of someone to bolster their attack, the club have seemingly moved on to the youngster who currently plays for Tottenham.

Danny Cowley managed to lead his side into the top half of the third tier last season but couldn't quite drag Pompey into the play-off places as the final whistle sounded on the last day of the season. The club then will be hoping to go one better next time out and that could mean adding more options to their squad this summer.

 

 

The side currently have a shortage of attacking options - and Etete could be one of the names through the door in order to give them more choices upfront.

The 20-year-old has yet to manage a league game for the Spurs first-team during his time with the top flight club but has managed to get some playing time elsewhere during his spell with the club. Having first had a stint with Northampton in League Two, he managed four goal contributions in 15 starts.

He then moved on to Cheltenham a division higher but wasn't fazed by the step up in competition. He had a further ten starts there and continued to bag goals, with three more to his name and two assists to boot.

Etete then has proven he can cut it in the third tier - and Portsmouth are now prepared to take the leap and try and snap him up during the transfer window. A deal could even see him join permanently rather than signing for the club on a short-term basis.

The Verdict

Kion Etete could be a very good signing for Portsmouth this summer, especially if they could land him on the cheap in a permanent move.

The 20-year-old has already been exposed to a decent amount of League One games and has stepped up to the task well, bagging three goals despite having just ten starts. He's shown that he can perform if needed at that level then, which means the signing is less of a gamble by Danny Cowley and could be a shrewd move.

Considering his age and potential, a deal could certainly pay off. If he continues to perform in League One - and perhaps increases his tally with more regular action - then he could end up being a forward to watch in the third tier if he does sign for Portsmouth. He could even have a much higher resale value further down the line.

It just depends on whether Spurs are prepared to let him leave or not. Even if they sign him on a short-term basis though, it could still be a good temporary deal by the club.