Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has revealed that he is set to take a look at George Hirst in pre-season after his loan spell at Portsmouth officially reaches a crescendo.
Hirst is set to return to the King Power Stadium later this month following what has been an encouraging loan spell at Fratton Park.
Although it initially took the forward some time to adapt to life at Portsmouth, he eventually managed to produce a host of impressive performances for the club earlier this year.
In the 40 league appearances that he made for Pompey, Hirst scored 13 goals for the club in the third-tier whilst he also provided three assists for his team-mates.
The forward marked the final appearance of his temporary stint by netting in Portsmouth's 4-1 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.
With Hirst's contract at Leicester set to run until 2023, the upcoming transfer window represents an opportunity for the club to secure a reasonable fee for him.
However, instead of putting the forward on the transfer list, Rodgers has admitted that he will give Hirst the opportunity to showcase his talent in the pre-season.
Speaking to Leicestershire Live about the 23-year-old's immediate future, Rodgers said: "George has done great at Portsmouth and he's someone I want to have a good look at over the course of pre-season.
"When I first came in, there was something in him.
"He's 6ft 4ins, got a nice touch, he's good in the air, he can run, he's got decent speed.
"I felt he needed experience.
"He's gone out and didn't quite get the experience at Rotherham but at Portsmouth gradually he's improved and developed.
"I think him coming back in the summer, we get a good chance to see him having played for points and having had something to prove.
"I would hope and I'm pretty sure I'll see a step up both mentally and tactically in the game from him."
The Verdict
Whereas this particular development does not end Portsmouth's hopes of signing Hirst on a permanent deal, they may need to draft up a list of alternative options to the forward.
Having missed out on a place in the play-offs during the 2021/22 campaign, Pompey must bolster their squad this summer in order to push forward as a club next season.
If Hirst goes on to impress Rodgers over the summer, he could potentially force his way into contention for a place in the club's match-day squad.
However, when you consider that Leicester are able to call upon the services of Kelechi Iheanacho, Patson Daka and Jamie Vardy, Hirst may find it difficult to climb up the pecking order as this trio have all featured in the top-flight for the Foxes this season.