Detailed: The key positions Portsmouth must strengthen in summer transfer window

The transfer window opens on Sunday (June 1) with it anticipated to be another busy summer of recruitment for Pompey ahead of their second season in the Championship.

Here we look at the positions which require urgent strengthening - and which members of the current squad are likely starters in 2025-26.

Goalkeeper

Nicolas Schmid has firmly established himself as Pompey’s number one following his move from Austria last summer and his place is assured.

Elsewhere, Jordan Archer is contracted for another season, while Ben Killip has been offered a fresh deal after impressing since joining from Barnsley in January.

Killip himself has declared he is eager to stay, so, should he sign, that would give the Blues three goalkeepers - plus Toby Steward.

The promising Academy graduate, who impressed during a short-stay at Crawley at the tail-end of the season, is earmarked for another Football League loan in 2025-26 to aid his development.

Signings Needed: None

Right-back

Having taken up the option on Zak Swanson, the Blues once again have three right-back contenders for the 2025-26 season.

Jordan Williams has been the preferred option when fit, yet Swanson still made 23 league starts this season - his most in a campaign since arriving at Fratton Park in the summer of 2022.

Terry Devlin has impressed at right-back, despite being a midfielder, with Mousinho believing it’s the Northern Ireland international’s best position at present.

Signings Needed: None

Left-back

Connor Ogilvie featured 46 times this season - more than any other Pompey player. In fact, only a concussion injury prevented him starting every Championship game.

The long-serving defender suffered a difficult start having made the step up from League One, but flourished to become one of the Blues’ star performers, finishing as runner-up in the The News/Sports Mail Player of the Season.

Cohen Bramall was recruited as competition in January, yet the only time he claimed the left-back spot was when Ogilvie switched to the centre of defence for four games in an emergency.

Jacob Farrell is viewed as the long-term rival, yet featured just once as a persistent knee injury devastated his season, eventually requiring surgery.

Farrell returned to Australia in April to have his rehabilitation overseen by the national team and he’s expected to be back in pre-season to challenge Ogilvie.

Signings Needed: None

Centre-back

Pompey’s centre-half options were devastated by injuries during their first season back in the Championship, yet, once everyone is fit, they are clearly overloaded.

Presently there are six contracted central defenders on their books - Conor Shaughnessy, Regan Poole, Ibane Bowat, Hayden Matthews, Ryley Towler and Tom McIntyre.

Of those, McIntyre doesn’t appear to have a future at Fratton Park, while Towler is also well down the pecking order, not even making the first-team squad in the final eight games of the season.

The likelihood is Shaughnessy will be first-choice, leaving a three-way battle between Poole, Matthews and Bowat to partner him. It could well be a crucial pre-season for Bowat, who is still to feature after suffering knee ligament damage in September.

Despite having six contracted centre-halves, there is also the possibility of Rob Atkinson returning, depending on how Bristol City view his future. Failing that, Pompey could still look to strengthen that area.

In addition, Marlon Pack and Ogilvie have demonstrated they can fill the role if required, with both featuring in Championship victories this season.

Signings Needed: One

Centre midfield

Freddie Potts started 36 games this season, while Isaac Hayden made 12 starts, yet, with both returning to their parent clubs, that leaves Pompey extremely short in the centre of midfield.

That leaves Andre Dozzell, who was a surprise success having grown into the season and demonstrated his talents, winning the supporters over.

There is also Marlon Park, although, despite starting the last game against Hull in his favoured central midfield role, was largely preferred as a stand-in central defender.

In fact, following the 2-0 defeat at Cardiff in October, Pack started just one more game in midfield for the rest of the season - on the final day.

Devlin is an option, although Mousinho has earmarked him for a right-back role, while Abdoulaye Kamara has dropped right out of contention, having failed to make a squad since the January FA Cup defeat at Wycombe.

Signings Needed: Two

Wingers

The News/Sports Mail Player of the Season Josh Murphy has rightly been a fixture on the left wing, producing 21 goal contributions during his maiden Fratton Park season.

It doesn’t bear thinking about what the options would be should he collect an injury, certainly over a sustained period of time.

Likewise on the right wing, Matt Ritchie totalled 41 appearances overall, yet, considering he turns 36 in September, that position also requires strengthening.

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Kaide Gordon has returned to Liverpool and Bramall hasn’t been retained, leaving Harvey Blair and Paddy Lane as alternatives - yet both have still to prove themselves at Championship level.

Pompey are prepared to be patient with Blair, while Lane, who has been sidelined by injury since January, will need to impress in pre-season to show he warrants such faith.

Regardless, both flanks will be key positions to recruit for during the transfer window.

Signings Needed: Two or three

Attacking midfielder

Callum Lang has been a revelation since joining in January 2024 and his talents aren’t easy to replicate, as Pompey discovered with the loan signing of Adil Aouchiche.

Certainly a fully-fit Lang will be an automatic starter following 10 goals in 33 games this season, yet there still needs to be competition.

Aouchiche has returned to Sunderland, while Christian Saydee has been largely employed as a number 10 alternative, albeit offering entirely different strengths to Lang.

Saydee’s Fratton Park future remains uncertain, nonetheless the Blues still need a different option to Lang, yet offering the same mobility, goal threat and energy.

Signings Needed: One

Strikers

Any new striker arriving at Fratton Park in the summer will be expected to serve as a second fiddle to Colby Bishop, such is the prolific forward’s immense influence on the team.

Despite not featuring until November following heart surgery, Bishop still finished as 11-goal leading scorer, while his return to the side transformed Pompey’s faltering season, with them once appearing likely for an instant League One return.

Kusini Yengi has departed following a desperately poor second season on the south coast, while Saydee is not viewed by Mousinho as a genuine alternative to Bishop, despite scoring twice in the role at Middlesbrough in August 2024.

Thomas Waddingham is an option and impressed in fleeting glimpses until his season was cut short by injury, yet the 20-year-old remains one for the future.

While Mark O’Mahony has returned to Brighton following a frustrating season in which he scored three times, yet missed much of it through injury.

Signings Needed: One

Any Other Business

Pompey will likely look at flexibility, which will provide competition across a number of positions rather than just the one.

For instance, Sammy Silvera was recruited to serve on the left flank and in the number 10 role, albeit the loan move didn’t work out.

Lang has played on the right and left wings for Pompey this season, although not regularly, in addition to the number 10 position.

When Bramall was signed, it was to give options on the left flank, with the former Rotherham man subsequently featuring at left-back and on the left wing. While Bishop has, on occasions, dropped into a number 10 role/deeper striker to facilitate a second forward.

Having said that, Pompey must recruit at least one central midfielder capable of operating as a number six, with versatility not particularly necessary.

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