'It was my sole focus' - Portsmouth defender reveals he knocked back interest from other clubs to keep Fratton Park love affair going
Zak Swanson said he had interest from other clubs this summer as he sought to keep his love affair with Pompey going.
The defender also revealed he understood the club’s stance with his contract as his Fratton Park career was placed in jeopardy at the end of last season.
The Blues announced in May that they would not be triggering an option they had on the 23-year-old’s contract, which allowed the right-back to pursue other options away from PO4 as a free agent.
Despite this, Pompey remained in dialogue with Swanson throughout the summer in a bid to strike a new agreement - talks that eventually resulted in a new one-year deal, plus a further 12-months, being announced last month.
The former Arsenal youngster, who has caught the eye of rivals across the EFL since his 2022 Fratton Park arrival, didn’t reveal the identity of those clubs who were looking to offer him a new challenge.
But their efforts would have been in vein, wih Swanson determined to continue his career on the south coast from the outset.
Speaking after starting Pompey’s Carabao Cup game against Millwall on Tuesday, he said: ‘I had clubs interested but I do love it here. I love it as a place, I love living here. It’s a great club, a massive club and of course the promotion last year was huge.
‘I wanted to be here, to be honest, it was my sole focus on being here and I just had to get the right deal and the deal suits the best of both worlds.’
Swanson missed Pompey’s opening weeks of pre-season, which included an overseas training trip to Croatia, as Mousinho’s men prepared for a new life in the Championship.
The right-back trained away from the Blues’ Hilsea training base as negotiations over his future continued - but he bore no grudges.
Instead, he quickly recognised where the club was coming from, having missed a large chunk of last season with a troublesome groin injury. He also knew John Mousinho had belief in his ability - which also made him keen to find a solution to his contract situation.
‘It was difficult. At the end of the season I had that recurring injury and as a club I understood their position.
‘Of course it probably wasn’t the best situation for me, but I understood it and I’m big enough to know that as a club they have their own decisions to make - but they still wanted me here.
‘I think it was the belief that was shown from the gaffer and I’ve got that trust with him so that really sold it to me.’