Andre Dozzell has been tipped for big things.Andre Dozzell has been tipped for big things.
Andre Dozzell has been tipped for big things. | Getty Images
Portsmouth manager John Mousinho has high praise for a former QPR star the London club allowed to leave for free.
Former QPR midfielder Andre Dozzell has been tipped to one day be a Premier League star just one year after he was released from Loftus Road as a free agent.
The R’s may be regretting that decision from last year after words from Pompey boss John Mousinho heaped praise on the 26-year-old. Dozzell arrived at Fratton Park following a failed trial period at Sheffield United, having spent the back end of the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Birmingham City.
QPR signed the midfielder from Ipswich Town in June 2021 and the player went on to make 98 appearances for the club. Dozzell had been named Ipswich Town Young Player of the Year in 2016 and is a former England under-20 international.
Ex QPR midfielder tipped for Premier League
Dozzell played 39 times for Portsmouth in the Championship last season and was said to have ‘Premier League potential’ according to Mousinho when arriving at the club. In quotes shared by The News, Mousinho has now doubled down on that claim.
He said: “You can see it (Premier League potential), the main thing for Andre is to bring a consistency of top performance. We see it every day in training and I think we’ve seen it in the second half of the season.
“He’s been a standout player in a new role, which was probably a bit more advanced than being a six. He’s got a load of energy to his game and he can add goals to his game. He scored two and can add a load more, because he’s a good finisher arriving late in the box.
“There is that potential there to come from Andre, but I also think that’s the best I’ve seen him play consistently across a season for many years, probably his whole career. So I’m really looking forward to next season.
“Early in the season maybe the game drifted by him at times, so it’s about him taking the game by the scruff of the neck, getting the ball, driving forward and dominating games - as we think he can. Physically he’s not the biggest, but he can really get around and win his tackles. When he puts all that together he’s a hell of a player.”
Dozzell has initially signed a one-year deal at Fratton Park but Portsmouth held, and have now used, the option for an additional 12 months. When the midfielder left Loftus Road last summer, CEO Christian Nourry said: “Andre played an important role for the football club in the first half of the season and we will be forever grateful for the contributions he made.
“A difficult decision was made in January, linked to the club’s financial realities and other market priorities, in a move that was additionally designed to afford Andre more starting football. We wish him all the very best for the future.”
Watford eye Chelsea loan swoop
Meanwhile, Watford are reportedly ‘keen’ to bring Chelsea rising star Caleb Wiley back to Vicarage Road next season. The 20-year-old spent the back half of the 2024/25 campaign on loan with the Hornets and made 10 appearances.
The United States international is set to return to Stamford Bridge and is contracted to Chelsea until 2031. He arrived at the Premier League club from Atlanta United last summer for a reported £8.5 million.
Wiley is yet to make an appearance for the Chelsea first team, having spent the first half of the season on loan at Strasbourg before being recalled and sent to Watford. West London Sport claims that the Championship side are hoping to have the player available for next season too.
In other news, Unpopular ex QPR and Sunderland boss interviews for Championship return.
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