It didn’t quite turn out to be the season Tino Anjorin might have hoped for, at least not in terms of individual accomplishments, health, or impact, but the Chelsea loanee finished the campaign strong in helping Portsmouth win League One and return to the Championship — just over a decade after going into administration, facing financial ruin, and suffering three relegations in four seasons.
And now, the 22-year-old is hoping to repay the club’s patience and faith in him by returning next season as they attempt to stay up in the second tier. Beset by injury once again, this time a five-month hamstring problem, Anjorin was limited to just 14 appearances and just two goals. He’s yet to be able to complete a full season at senior level in fact, be that at Lokomotiv Moscow, Huddersfield Town, or Pompey.
“I wanted to play for the team and to be able to say that I had played 40 games. It wasn’t possible. I accepted it in January, I had to come back and try to just do better, if I could help the team in any way, I would – and I feel I played well when I returned.
‘One thing that injuries have taught me is you can never predict the future. I will see what happens in the summer.
“I would definitely like to come back. Every time I stepped out onto that pitch I absolutely loved it, the roar of the crowd, this group of players, the staff, this is an unbelievable club. I have a year left on my contract, it’s out of my hands, that’s why I feel I don’t know anything about my future. Football moves so fast as well, anything can happen.”
-Tino Anjorin; source: The News
Portsmouth are reportedly also keen and ready to “explore the possibility of a second season on loan”, though as Anjorin himself points out, he’s only got one year left on his Chelsea contract, which complicated things. He would either have to sign an extension (more likely), or Pompey would need to cough up a transfer fee (less likely).
