Impressive ex-Portsmouth attacker handed new deal after just eight matches for ambitious club
The former Fratton Park man was released by John Mousinho in the summer of 2024
A former Pompey player’s instant impact has earned him a new deal - after eight games.
Destiny Ojo returned to the south coast in March, some 22 months following his disappointing Fratton Park exit.
After his release in the summer of 2024 under John Mousinho, the highly-rated attacker moved to Northern Ireland Premiership side Cliftonville, before having spells with Three Bridges and Whitehawk.
Then, towards the end of last season, he returned to the city to link-up with AFC Portchester for the remainder of their Isthmian League South Central Division campaign.
Ojo featured eight times and scored once as Gavin Spurway’s side finished fifth, before suffering an agonising play-off penalty shoot-out defeat to Westfield.
Regardless, the attacker impressed sufficiently to be handed a new contract this week as they seek to bounce back from that disappointment in 2026-27.
Four ex-Pompey players at Wicor Rec
Announcing Ojo was staying at Wicor Rec, Portchester X account said: ‘We got a small taste of what this man can do towards the end of last season but now you will get to see much more of him.
‘Destiny Ojo remains a Royal for 2026-27!’
The 21-year-old joins fellow former Pompey youngsters Alfie Stanley, Calvin Davies and Spencer Spurway in committing their futures to Portchester.
As an Academy youngster at Fratton Park, Ojo hit the headlines in June 2022 when Danny Cowley chose him to train with the first-team during pre-season amid a striker shortage.
However, in the first session of his second week, the former Lancing player broke his ankle in a freak training incident, sidelining him for seven months.
It meant Pompey travelled to their Spanish training camp in San Pedro de Pinatar, Murcia, with rookie Dan Gifford as the sole striker on their books, although triallists Jonathan Afolabi did link up with them out there.
By the time Ojo returned to action, John Mousinho was head coach and utilised the now third-year scholar in Pompey’s friendly programme during the summer of 2023.
Two goals for Pompey in July 2023
The youngster caught the eye by scoring against Gosport and the Hawks in July 2023, the latter representing the winner in a 1-0 success in front of a bumper Westleigh Park crowd of 4,250.
Recognising Ojo required first-team football to aid his development, he was subsequently loaned out to Poole, Sholing and Lancing over the course of the 2023-24 season.
There was to be no first-team pathway, though, as he was released by Pompey in May 2024 following their return to the Championship and trialled at Burnley, Colchester, Horsham, Woking and Bognor.
A move to Northern Irish side Cliftonville followed in August 2024, where the striker netted twice in 17 outings, including a 117th-minute headed winner over Larne in the semi-finals of the BetMcLean Cup.
Jim Magilton’s men went on to defeat Glentoran in the final at Windsor Park to lift the prestigious silverware, making Ojo a trophy winner.
And now, at the age of 21, he has been retained by Portchester as he strives to rebuild a promising career which has been hit with several set-backs so early in it.