Portsmouth experienced a mediocre campaign, failing to secure a top-six finish for the second season running.
This was disappointing for fans who were frustrated with inconsistency over the 2021/22 season.
Pompey also failed to improve on last season’s 8th place finish ending up in 10th spot. With unrest towards the owners being made vocal by some, this summer sees another rebuild required although the budget is unlikely to increase significantly. This means that some players will need to be moved on if Danny Cowley hopes to sign all his targets.
With that in mind, here are three players Portsmouth should look to sell this summer…
Marcus Harness
Signing three years ago from Burton Albion, Pompey fans were glad to see Harness come in as a replacement for Jamal Lowe.
Despite managing 32 goals and 22 assists in 134 appearances for the club, some Pompey fans would argue the time has come for him to move on and test himself elsewhere. Common complaints are his final ball and a tendency to take an unnecessary touch at the critical moment in attack.
Harness’ goals would be missed at Fratton Park, but with the club extending his stay by an extra year this summer, it could be a good idea to bring in a decent sum now as opposed to a free transfer at the end of next season.
Swansea City are rumoured to be interested and Harness should bring in a profit that would more than cover a replacement.
Alex Bass
The Pompey graduate only featured twice in the league last season, eventually joining Bradford City on loan in January.
It seems unlikely Cowley will see Bass as his first choice next year which means that it might be better for Bass to leave his boyhood club and seek first-team football elsewhere.
The 24-year-old has experience at League One and Two level having featured for Pompey for most of the 2019/20 campaign before the pandemic brought it to a halt.
The arrival of Gavin Bazunu made it clear that Bass wouldn’t feature much last year, so he left on loan for Bradford City in January, quickly impressing Bantams’ boss Mark Hughes.
His performances for the League Two won’t have gone unnoticed, but it seems unlikely that he’ll get first-team football at Fratton Park.
Kieron Freeman
Freeman has so far failed to claim the right-back jersey for Portsmouth. After Mahlon Romeo was brought in and quickly impressed, Freeman’s appearances were limited, and when Freeman did appear, he proved lacklustre with pretty average performances.
You would think that the defender would be keen on playing regular football at the age of 30, and a move away could give him the best chance to do just that. A move would also suit Portsmouth, freeing up some space in the transfer and wage budget to bring in a new player in his place.
