Portsmouth manager Kenny Jackett has been speaking about the future of in-demand forward Jamal Lowe.
Jackett revealed to the Portsmouth News that he had been in talks with Lowe over his future and that the club had received no fresh bids for their top scorer from last season.
He said: ‘We’ve had no bids in the last week and long may that continue. We want to keep our better players.’
The former Wolves boss added that he has talked to the twenty-four-year-old about his future and that Lowe’s attitude had been exemplary since the squad returned for pre-season.
The report claims that after the recent failed bids of Wigan and Millwall to capture Lowe, Middlesborough, Cardiff, Leeds and West Brom are all monitoring the situation.
Lowe joined the rest of his teammates yesterday for their trip to Ireland and Jackett was full of praise for his sought after player’s focus in training despite the speculation over his future commenting that Lowe was ‘showing a good attitude and working very hard.’
‘There’s been gym work and running as well as the football – and he’s excelled in all of it,’ he added
‘It (speculation) hasn’t come into his training or his manner at the training ground. That’s very good,’ he said.
Lowe scored seventeen goals in fifty-five outings for Pompey last season to help them reached the League One playoffs and win the EFL Trophy at Wembley.
He has a year left on his current deal at Fratton Park and has repeatedly expressed his ambition to play at the highest level possible. Speculation regarding his future has been rife all summer with Leeds United and Cardiff City frequently linked with the winger.
Our View
It is good to hear that Lowe is remaining focused on the job in hand and honouring his contract.
It is not uncommon for players to sulk when amid a possible move away.
Despite Jackett’s evident desire to keep his star forward, It does still seem likely that Lowe will still leave for a Championship club this summer if the money is right for Pompey.
However, until that time he remains a Portsmouth player, and it is excellent that he is respecting that fact.
Let’s face it, despite all the rumours there is still a chance he will remain at Fratton Park next season.
