Portsmouth’s summer gets off to a busy start ahead of new season

Pompey’s summer transfer business has seen a somewhat busy start as they prepare for the 2021/22 season.

After finishing outside of the play-off spots on the final day of the previous campaign, there was a sense that the new management of Danny and Nicky Cowley would need to bring in some fresh faces in the hopes of challenging for promotion once again.

Fans are eager for a return to the Championship and hope that the Cowley brothers are the right men to get the job done for the south coast side.

The fixtures for next season are due to be announced this week, signalling the impending arrival of a new campaign.

Players on the move

The most notable changes at Fratton Park have come in the form of player departures, with a number of first team players leaving to seek a new challenge.

Jack Whatmough, who joined the club at the age of 13 after leaving rivals Southampton, has joined fellow League One side Wigan Athletic.

The 24-year-old was once part of the England youth set-up but has unfortunately suffered serious knee injuries in his career so far.

He played a key role in the Pompey defence last season and many fans will be sad to see a local lad depart for pastures new.

Tom Naylor will also join Whatmough at Wigan this summer.

He joined Portsmouth in 2018 from Burton Albion and made 149 appearances, scoring 13 goals and being named club captain.

Naylor was also a key member of the first-team squad but will now play for The Latics at the DW Stadium.

Another key departure is Ben Close who, like Whatmough, was born in the Portsmouth area.

The central midfielder rose up through the Pompey youth ranks and into the first team, but was seemingly shut out of the match day squads during Kenny Jackett’s final season in charge.

After 190 appearances at the club, he will join Doncaster Rovers this summer on a three-year deal.

Andy Cannon and Ryan Williams will also leave the club in the coming weeks.

Cannon has made the step up and will join League One champions Hull City in the Championship next season.

The midfielder spent his youth career at Rochdale before breaking into the first team and joined Pompey in 2019, leaving with three goals in 79 appearances.

Williams has made a return to Oxford United, where the Australian had a successful loan spell from Fulham in the 2013/14 season.

He signed for Pompey as a scholar in 2010 and joined Fulham in 2012, returning to the south coast seven years later to make 85 appearances and score nine goals for the club.

All the above players were offered new contracts by Pompey, but chose to move elsewhere this summer.

New arrivals

The club’s first piece of business was the signing of Liam Vincent from Bromley on a three-year deal.

The 18-year-old left back played a role in Bromley’s promotion race in the National League last season and is ready to make the next step in his career at Pompey.

Portsmouth have also signed centre-back Clark Robertson on a two-year deal.

The Scotsman will join the club after the expiration of his contract at Rotherham this summer.

He scored five goals in 69 appearances for his former side and also helped them to gain promotion to the Championship in 2018.

Off the pitch, Pompey have been able to secure the acquisition of their training ground.

This will be the first time in the club’s history that they have owned their own training centre, which is also used by the public via the gym, health club and outdoor facilities.

They will now have full control of the site and it demonstrates a huge step being taken by the board to progress the club even further.

With many key players leaving the club, it appears as though the squad is in need of a shake-up.

However, the Cowleys will have to act fast in order to sign the players they want ahead of the start of the new season, in which promotion to the Championship will once again be the main target.

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