Former Portsmouth Academy prospect Xander Grieves has completed a transfer to Southampton, the portsmouth.co.uk reported this week. The 17-year-old goalkeeper, who represented both England and the Republic of Ireland at youth level, joined Saints on a two-year deal in June 2024 after Wolves paid an undisclosed fee to sign him.
Grieves was originally recruited by Pompey from Dorking Wanderers in May 2022. He signed early scholarship forms with the club in October 2023 and made his under-18 debut in a match against Sutton United in March 2024. Last season he made three under-18 appearances and also had loan spells with non-league sides Telford United and Rugby Town.
What is Xander Grieves' international background?
His international career has been interesting. Grieves earned England Under-15 recognition in May 2024. He then switched allegiance to the Republic of Ireland, moving from England Under-16s to represent Ireland at Under-17 level. He twice featured for the Republic of Ireland Under-17s. This dual-nationality path highlights his potential and the competition for young talents.
Southampton's Academy Director Andy Goldie commented on the signing. "After impressing on trial last season, Xander joins the Academy to provide additional competition to an already strong goalkeeping pathway," Goldie said. Portsmouth's own under-18s coach Sam Hudson had previously praised Grieves' early readiness. "We had a really young team - I’m not sure if we’ve had a 14-year-old starting between the sticks at this level before and it’s credit to the goalkeeping department that he was ready for that," Hudson noted.
Where does this leave Portsmouth's current squad?
While focusing on a departed academy player, Portsmouth's senior side continues its Championship campaign. As of 8 September 2026, the team sits 14th in the table with six points from five games. Their record shows two wins and three losses, with a recent form of WLLWL. They have scored seven goals but conceded eight, giving them a minus one goal difference. The title race sees them five points behind early leaders Swansea City. Manager John Mousinho has several injury concerns to manage, with Connor Ogilvie, Franco Umeh, Jacob Farrell, Josh Murphy, Keshi Anderson, and Márk Kosznovszky all currently sidelined. Fans can track the recovery timelines on the club's official injuries page.
What is next for Portsmouth's first team?
Attention now turns to the next Championship fixture. Portsmouth travel to face Charlton Athletic on 12 September 2026. Charlton currently occupy 6th place in the table, making it a tough away assignment. The full schedule of upcoming matches is available on the club's fixtures list. The team will be looking to improve its league position, which can be monitored via the live standings.
The departure of Grieves is a reminder of the constant flow of talent through academy systems. For Portsmouth, the immediate focus is on securing results with the full squad. Their next match at The Valley kicks off at 3pm on Saturday.
