Portsmouth

A new episode of BBC Radio Solent's Who Needs Mourinho podcast is now available.

Chris Wise and Andy Moon look back on Pompey's eventful summer and ahead to the new campaign. How are they doing with recruitment and what is still needed?

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Hull City's English forward Abu Kamara looks likely to re-join former side Portsmouth over the next coming days as negotiations with the 23-year-old's agent advance. (Fabrizio Romano via X, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Wednesday's gossip column here.

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Huddersfield Town have signed Portsmouth defender Ibane Bowat for an undisclosed fee on a three-year deal.

The 23-year-old former Scotland Under-21 international scored twice in 17 league appearances for Pompey.

Having spent his academy years with Chelsea and Fulham, Bowat played in both the Netherlands and Austria before joining Portsmouth in 2024.

He could make his debut for Town in Saturday's Carabao Cup first-round tie against Preston North End.

"Ibane is a positive addition to our squad, he's a good age and has been at clubs with a reputation for developing talent," boss Martin Drury told the club website., external

Portsmouth are closing in on a deal for 24-year-old Gambian midfielder Jesper Ceesay from Turkish Super Lig side Antalyaspor. (Portsmouth News), external

For more EFL transfer rumours, read Tuesday's full gossip column here.

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Watch back BBC Radio Solent's Portsmouth FC Fans' Forum for 2026.

Andrew Moon hosted the hour-long forum at Fratton Park in the Victory Suite alongisde some key members of the club.

Head coach John Mousinho, captain Marlon Pack, CEO Andrew Cullen and Pompey Women's manager Jay Sadler were all at at the top table and asked questions by the supporters.

Forward the video above to the 28 minute mark to begin watching the forum.

Pack was quizzed on his fitness and revealed that his progress is ahead of schedule while Andrew Cullen detailed how the club are trying to improve off the pitch.

The majority of questions were directed to John Moushino who spoke about managing injuries, new signings and if he tried to lose cup games on purpose!

Relive the action as it happened on the Portsmouth page of the BBC Sport website.

Andrew Moon
BBC Radio Solent's Portsmouth commentator

Image source, Getty Images

They say never go back. Although I don't know who "they" are and they'd be spectacularly wrong if considering Marlon Pack's return to Portsmouth.

He's made a huge contribution to the success of the past three years. Matt Ritchie and John Swift less so, but they've proved useful additions.

The possible return of Abu Kamara would feel on a different level. It would be the most celebrated Pompey transfer for some time.

Why? Well, Rocco Shein and Marko Milovanovic may turn out to be excellent additions. But most fans won't have heard of them before they were linked to the club.

When they hear Kamara's name they think of him terrorising defenders and brilliant goals and assists as Pompey won League One. Being a football fan is all about emotions and those memories are more powerful than anything an unknown new signing can bring.

By the end of that season he was one of the best players in the third tier.

Everyone in the Championship is looking for what I'd call a "unicorn". A player they can sign for a few million and sell on at a massive profit within the next couple of years. Think Middlesbrough paying £1.5m for Morgan Rogers in 2023. I watched Kamara that season and thought he could be one of those players.

Hull ended up buying Kamara two years ago for a fee which was widely reported to total £4.5million including add-ons. It's possible none of the add-ons have been hit and, although the initial fee was undisclosed, it's likely to have been £3million at the very least.

That summer, Portsmouth were not in the market to pay that amount of money - £3million was comfortably more than their entire outlay that window.

Even if they had been able to match Hull's money, would Kamara have been a good signing? He certainly hasn't been for Hull. One season in the Championship with limited impact and one on loan, with much of it spent injured. They will do well to recover their original spend on him.

So why do Portsmouth want him? They need a right-winger, it was a problem position last season. Kamara still has huge potential. He knows he'd be loved at Pompey. There'll be no forced apology videos for the terrible crime of liking a Paddy Lane tweet.

John Mousinho got the best out of him and would believe he could do so again.

That isn't always straightforward. Mousinho was very keen to sign Gavin Whyte, a player he knew very well, a few years ago. That move did not pan out. It doesn't mean he shouldn't trust his judgement though. Mousinho and Richard Hughes have got a lot more right than wrong over the past few years.

Will Kamara return? There is optimism within Portsmouth. I'd potentially go as far to say it's more likely than not. After Luke Graham though, Pompey don't need reminding this summer that being close to a deal isn't the same as completing one.

Would Kamara be a good signing and can he reach his potential? Hopefully those are debates we're having in the near future.

Image source, Getty Images

Blackpool have signed Portsmouth defender Jordan Williams on loan for the 2026-27 season.

The 26-year-old can play in any of the back-four positions, but is principally a right-back.

Williams began his career at hometown club Huddersfield Town, where he won England youth honours, before moving to Barnsley after making one cup appearance for the Terriers.

In the first of his six seasons with the Tykes, Williams helped the club back into the Championship but they were relegated after three seasons and he joined Pompey in the summer of 2024.

Seasiders coach Ian Evatt said, external Williams has been enlisted for his "versatility and experience".

Portsmouth striker Thomas Waddingham says he wants to compete for a place in the team after recovering from a long-term injury.

Since arriving from Australian A-League side Brisbane Roar in January 2025, the 21-year-old's time at Fratton Park has been severely hampered by injury.

Waddingham has only made 11 appearances for Pompey in the Championship so far, scoring one goal.

He had to undergo surgery on his thigh last season, which kept him out for most of the campaign, but is now "fully fit".

"Hopefully I can push towards playing as much as I can and more minutes," Waddingham told BBC Radio Solent after scoring a goal in the 3-1 pre-season defeat to Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday.

"I think that's the main focus - staying fit and staying available so I can help the team.

"That's all I really want to do, just get out on the field and play as much as possible. That's why you play football."

The Australian will be in direct competition with Colby Bishop and new signing Marko Milovanovic for the number nine shirt at Portsmouth.

Waddingham added: "Three strikers now, so it's definitely going to make it tougher for me, but not in a bad way.

"I think we're all going to push each other and that can only really be good for the team."

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Portsmouth head coach John Mousinho has revealed that new striker signing Marko Milovanovic is "weeks away" from being match fit for the Blues.

Pompey completed a £3m deal for the Serbian on Friday to bolster a forward group that features Colby Bishop, Thomas Waddingham and Franco Umeh.

Mousinho is hoping that Milovanovic will be available soon, with just three weeks until the Blues start their Championship season.

"Unfortunately for Marko he's not been training [fully]," Mousinho told BBC Radio Solent.

"He's been training on his own and keeping himself fit [but] he's a long way off being match ready and being match fit.

"He's probably about three or four weeks away from being available - we'll see him in training and we'll maybe build him up over the next couple of weeks. We'd love players to come in and be ready straight away, but it's not the case here.

"We're delighted to get the deal done. It's one we've been trying to get over the line for a while and was really slow, we had to be patient to make sure that we got the right player at the right time."

The move to Fratton Park marks Milovanovic's first spell in English football having previously played for Partizan Belgrade, Almeria and FC Alverca on loan.

A Portsmouth side played against Wycombe on Saturday as they lost 3-1 at Adams Park in a friendly, Waddingham scoring the Pompey goal.

They have won one of their four pre-season games so far, beating Woking before defeat by Aldershot and a draw against Bristol Rovers.

Portsmouth visit West Ham United in the first round of the Carabao Cup on Saturday, 8 August before hosting QPR in their Championship opener a week later.

Portsmouth forward Adrian Segecic believes he is now a player other squad members can look up to.

The 22-year-old scored 11 goals in 38 games in his debut season in the Championship after moving from Sydney FC in June 2025.

"It was a big season for me as we had ups and downs both personally and as a team," Segecic told BBC Radio Solent.

"I learned a lot as a young player - first season in the Championship and to score double figures was amazing and I feel like it was a good season, most importantly we stayed up and I massively contributed to that as well."

Segecic was on standby for the Croatia World Cup squad having made one appearance for the under-21s after switching allegiance from Australia but was eventually left out of the final 26-man party.

After spending time with family back in Australia during the summer he is now ready to set an example for the rest of the Portsmouth side.

"Not many people see me as a young player anymore. It's more as someone who people can look up to and kind of learn off and see what young players can do in the league and how to adapt as quickly as I did," he said.

"It's a totally different situation to what I was in last season when I came here not knowing if I would play or if I would be a main player so to do that and prove I can be a main player was massive for me."

Portsmouth start the new Championship season at home to QPR on Saturday, 15 August (15:00 BST).

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Charlton Athletic have entered the race to sign English Hull City winger Abu Kamara, 22, who has been the subject of interest from Portsmouth since the start of the summer transfer window. (Hull Daily Mail), external

Free agent Nathan Redmond is currently training with Charlton Athletic but the 32-year-old English winger is not close to a deal with the Addicks. (Sky Sports), external

Want to read more transfer rumours? Check out Friday's full gossip column here.

Eoin Kenny is ready for the step up into the Championship.

The forward signed for Pompey from League of Ireland side Dundalk earlier this month, agreeing a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee, and is pleased to get a chance in English football's second tier.

"We're mid-season in Ireland and at Dundalk we've had a great start to the year, and I heard they (Portsmouth) were interested in me," Kenny told BBC Radio Solent.

"I had a call with the manager (John Mousinho) and sporting director (Richard Hughes) and I was really motivated by the project and the personal pathway for me."

The 20-year-old, who is the son of former Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny, made 94 appearances during his time at Dundalk, scoring 22 goals and registering 15 assists.

"I understand it's a massive step up - the League of Ireland is an excellent league but the Championship is one of the top leagues in the world," he said.

"Training is sharp, the intensity is very high so it's just about getting to grips with that and improving every day to give myself the best chance of competing in the Championship."

Portsmouth start the new Championship season at home to QPR on Saturday, 15 August (15:00 BST).

Listen to more Portsmouth interviews and content on BBC Sounds.

Andrew Moon
BBC Radio Solent's Portsmouth commentator

You should never really judge a player by a pre-season friendly, but Portsmouth fans' first, brief sighting of Rocco Shein at Bristol Rovers on Saturday was a promising one.

He looked bright and was clear in his interview afterwards. He is delighted to be in England but wants to reach the Premier League, as everyone in the Championship dreams of.

The fee paid for him is significant - understood to be just shy of £2m to prise him from Fredrikstad in Norway. It is the most Pompey have paid for a player since they were in the Premier League more than 16 years ago.

Shein's fee will only hold that title briefly with Marko Milovanovic's move from Almeria very nearly complete. The initial fee for that move is widely reported to be around £3.5m.

The hopes will be high for both additions. Portsmouth still need a right winger (it is possible that could be Abu Kamara although that feels like another article in itself), a defensive midfielder and they would like another central defender. There is still plenty of work to do but with more money to spend than the past two summers.

However, by Championship standards these are not big fees. If Shein does achieve his dream and reach the top flight, £2m will have been an absolute bargain. Portsmouth were very keen to sign Pelle Mattsson last summer but could not come close to matching the £3.5m Norwich City were able to pay. He had a good debut season and is very much one that got away.

The fee for Milovanovic is around what Portsmouth's total spend was last summer. A crude search suggests at least eight strikers were bought for more in the Championship last summer. If he can become an elite second tier forward it is a great piece of business.

Portsmouth's budget is clearly increasing this season and there is a decent chance it will be outside the bottom three for the first time since they have been back in the division. The past two summers have highlighted just how difficult it is to recruit on a shoestring.

The challenge may now have moved from 'almost impossible' to 'difficult'. But if Pompey can get two or three big arrivals firing then they absolutely can start climbing the division.

Image source, Shutterstock

Portsmouth defender Zak Swanson has hailed the club's retention of boss John Mousinho as a "major part" of his decision to sign a new contract.

Mousinho had been linked with the managerial role at Bristol City before the position went to promotion-winning Lincoln City boss Michael Skubala in May.

But with Mousinho stressing he made no moves to exit the club and Swanson out of contract this summer, the right-back signed a new two-year deal in June.

"That I could play under someone that trusts me and that I've got a really good relationship with, that was a big factor for me and now I'm here," Swanson said.

"He's [Mousinho] a massive part of this football club now. The success we've had in recent years has been mainly down to him and the players at the club."

Swanson is still on the mend from knee surgery but has resumed light training and hopes to play in pre-season.

"I'm in a really good place now, it's feeling really good," Swanson said.

"I want to be back fit for the start of the season, that's where I want to be, but we will have to wait and see."

Listen to the full interview with BBC Radio Solent below or on BBC Sounds here

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Portsmouth have stepped up their interest in Plymouth Argyle's English forward Bim Pepple, 23, while the Pilgrims' Swiss striker Lorent Tolaj, 24, looks bound for Bristol City. (Darren Witcoop via X), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Friday's gossip column here.

Portsmouth defender Terry Devlin says his performances from last season have been thanks to multiple campaigns of dedication and hard work.

The 22-year-old Northern Irishman featured in 40 games and won Pompey's player of the season award.

He was utilised across various positions by John Mousinho, playing at right-back while also appearing in attacking midfield during some matches.

"The success from last season didn't just happen overnight," Devlin told BBC Radio Solent.

"It's the full season before that when I was in and out and sometimes left out of squads and not travelling.

"It was those moments that really counted and when I was doing extras on the pitch after for 20-30 minutes every day and stuff like that there, I think that's what really paid off."

Devlin scored five goals with one assist last season and is now heading into his fourth season at Fratton Park since signing from Glentoran in the summer of 2023.

The versatile defender and midfielder is hoping to better a number of different aspects of his game in pre-season before the Championship campaign gets under way.

"I can improve technically, get better on the ball and receiving the pass," he added.

"This year I want to improve more in the creativity aspect of my game too, I think I got six goals and assists last year and I'm hoping to improve on that.

"I can then be a bit tidier in the final third as well, have a bit more quality in there and then obviously keep up the defensive work."

Image source, Shutterstock

Barnsley have signed Portsmouth striker Makenzie Kirk in a season-long loan deal.

The 22-year-old joined Pompey from St Johnstone last September and scored once in 14 Championship appearances in 2025-26.

The Northern Ireland Under-21 international could make his competitive debut for the Tykes in their EFL Cup first round tie against Wigan Athletic.

"He works hard, likes to press from the front and has shown that he can score goals at a good level," boss Daniel Stendel told the club website., external

Want the latest on Portsmouth's summer transfer window?

Andrew Moon fills us in on whether goalkeepers are still on Pompey's shopping list, squashes rumours about potential targets and offers a possible reason why it's been quiet regarding linked Serbian striker Marko Milovanovic.

Listen to the full update below or on BBC Sounds here

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New Portsmouth signing Rocco Shein is untested in English football - can he adapt?

The Championship will provide a new experience for the 23-year-old, who joined Pompey from Norwegian side Fredrikstad on Tuesday.

He was, however, given minutes in both legs of Fredrikstad's Europa Conference League play-off against Premier League club, and eventual winners, Crystal Palace last season.

And journalist Martin Bjerke thinks that shows the Estonia midfielder's capabilities.

"The level is obviously a bit above but I think he proved against Crystal Palace that he's able to play at a high level," Bjerke said.

"He is in really good physical shape. I think he won all the pre-season testing stuff and I think he runs the most [for Fredrikstad] in a match, so I think he will adapt really well to the league."

Listen to the full analysis above or on BBC Sounds here

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