Portsmouth FC preparing transfer action as duo set to leave Fratton Park this summer | OneFootball

This duo are set to exit Fratton Park this summer.

Portsmouth are set to facilitate the exits of two of their centre halves, as they look to strengthen their squad ahead of another season in the Championship next term.

John Mousinho’s side strung together a five-match unbeaten run to close out the campaign, a run of form which ensured their survival in the second tier for another season, with two games to spare.

Pompey’s 16th-place finish means they will have surely achieved their goal for the season, having been promoted from League One as champions back in 2023/24.

However, despite their success this term, it looks set to be a fairly busy summer at Fratton Park, with Mousinho admitting that he feels the squad is too heavy in some areas of the pitch.

Portsmouth are set to sell Tom McIntyre and Ryley Towler

One of those areas is centre back, where the South Coast outfit are already particularly well-stocked heading into the summer window.

According to The Portsmouth News, Pompey are set to sanction the exits of both Tom McIntyre and Ryley Towler to lower the number of centre halves at the club to a more manageable level.

Portsmouth are understood to be keen on the idea of bringing Bristol City loanee Rob Atkinson back to the club, following a successful stint at Fratton Park this term, and could also look to add another centre back to their ranks ahead of 2025/26.

Mousinho has insisted that he wants to work with a group of five central defenders. He told The News: “He (McIntyre) is one of six contracted centre backs we have for next year, and the numbers obviously don’t go.

“We want to carry four, maybe five, but probably not six. I say five because if you look at the number of injuries we’ve had across those players, all of them have picked up significant injuries over the past couple of years, except Ryley (Towler).”

Towler and McIntyre would be good options for League One sides

There is seemingly no future for either McIntyre or Towler at Fratton Park, considering that Mousinho is aiming to both improve the quality of his defensive unit and reduce its numbers.

However, with the duo both under contract at the club for next season, Portsmouth must try and find suitable buyers for the pair, or opt to send them out on loan.

McIntyre is currently midway through a stint out on loan at Charlton Athletic, but has made just 10 league appearances for the Addicks since joining them in January.

The 26-year-old hasn’t featured for the third-tier side since their home victory over Northampton back in April, and wasn’t included in their matchday squad for either leg of their play-off semi-final.

As a result, a move to a League One side with slightly smaller aspirations could be ideal for the former Reading man to get his career back on track next term.

Similarly, Towler could also arguably benefit from a drop in division. At 23, he is at the age where he desperately needs to be playing regular first-team football if he is to develop into a top-quality player, and those minutes seem unlikely to come at Portsmouth.

The former Bristol City man has impressed at times for Mousinho’s charges this term, but with just 12 Championship appearances to his name, he needs more exposure next term.

The left-sided central defender still has plenty of room to improve and, having played a slightly more important role for Pompey during their time in League One, he will surely have plenty of potential suitors this summer.