Former Portsmouth College talent free to leave newly-relegated League One side - but don’t get hopes up over Fratton Park return
Former Pompey triallist and ex-Portsmouth College student Andy Rinomhota has left Cardiff City.
Former Pompey triallist Andy Rinomhota has been told he is free to leave Cardiff City.
The Bluebirds have conducted wholesale changes following their relegation from the Championship, with the ex-Portsmouth College student one of nine first-team players to depart the Welsh capital this summer.
The 28-year-old had been in talks to remain with the Bluebirds, along with skipper Joe Ralls, following the expiry of their respective contracts. However, the club have since confirmed the pair will now depart despite discussions taking place over their futures.
Last term, Rinomhota registered 31 outings for the Bluebirds - which included two appearances against Pompey - but were relegated to League One after an underwhelming Championship campaign.
Now, the 28-year-old joins Dimitrios Goutas, Aaron Ramsey, Anwar El Ghazi, Jamilu Collins, Raheem Conte, Kieron Evans, Yakou Meite in leaving the Cardiff City Stadium after ending the season at the foot of the second-tier table.
Rinomhota is stll coming to terms with the tragic loss of his brother Joseph Itai Rinomhota in a Muay Thai boxing match in April.
Rinomhota spent four years with Cardiff City, where he amassed 82 appearances after making the free-transfer switch from Reading in July 2022.
Andy Rinomhota and his Pompey ties
Although the classy operator, who went to school at Cams Hill in Fareham, is searching for a new club, a move to Fratton Park is off the cards this summer.
The former Reading talent spent six years with AFC Portchester after being turned down by Pompey following a period on trial.
Rinomhota also attended the Steve Claridge Football Foundation before signing for Reading in 2015.
He would go onto make his senior debut in 2017 and totalled 139 appearances for the Royals before his 2022 exit.
The midfielder was handed his first international call-up with Zimbabwe in November 2023 and now has nine caps to his name.
Despite growing up in the Portsmouth area, Rinomhota was never picked up by Blues and instead made the move to Reading.
Speaking in an interview with The News in 2016, he believed there was a chance to play for Pompey - although it never came about.
He said: ‘I could have been playing for Pompey, but I wasn’t picked up so I went to Reading.
‘I was at Portchester for a good five or six years coming through the youth set-up and into the first team.
‘I always thought Portsmouth may come looking but they didn’t in the end. Thankfully I got picked up by Reading.
‘It’s worked out for me. I ended up at Reading. I’m not going to complain at that! I’ll always have a soft spot for Pompey, though, and the accent will stay in me!’