Portsmouth FC should have one eye on ex-Sheffield United star's situation: View | OneFootball

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Portsmouth’s 2-2 draw at home to Charlton Athletic extended their unbeaten start to the season after 16 league games.

Pompey top the third-tier table heading into the international break after collecting 36 points - registering 10 wins and six draws.

With the Christmas period approaching, strenuous demands are put on clubs throughout the football pyramid, with the Hampshire-based outfit expected to play eight matches up until the new year when league action resumes.

Portsmouth’s standout player so far this season has been forward Colby Bishop, with the 27-year-old already notching 10 goals and two assists from 16 league matches.

The forward has started every fixture so far this term, but his minutes will have to be managed as the schedule ramps up, with any injury to their star significantly hampering their promotion ambitions.

With this potential problem, Pompey will need to look on the market for another proven goalscorer to share the minutes with Bishop, and Billy Sharp may be the perfect answer, with the frontman set to depart MLS outfit LA Galaxy.

There was slight surprise when it was announced Sharp was heading Stateside at the age of 37 to join LA Galaxy on a short-term contract, but he hit the ground running in his short time at the club.

Sharp scored on his competitive debut for the Galaxy against Chicago Fire in late August, before scoring a hat-trick in September against the Minnesota Timberwolves, which took his record to six goals in as many games.

Having not scored in his final six outings though, Sharp has not been retained by LA for the 2024 MLS season, but there will be a number of clubs in his home nation vying for his signature.

Sharp’s goal record in the third-tier is nothing short of exceptional, with 104 goals and 20 assists registered from 172 appearances.

The Sheffield-born forward recorded two 30-goal seasons for Scunthorpe United and Sheffield United in the 2006/07 and 2016/17 campaigns respectively, as well as establishing himself as a consistent goal threat in both the Championship and Premier League.

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His other seasons at the Blades and the Iron in League One saw him register 21 and 23 goals terms.

Sharp has always known where the back of the net is throughout his career in any division. At his age he is likely to be used as an impact substitution, but Portsmouth could be an attractive option to Sharp as a gateway back to Championship football before he hangs up his boots.

What would Billy Sharp add to Portsmouth?

Sharp’s staggering ability to score goals at every level would make him an asset to any team in the EFL.

Mixed with his experience of earning multiple promotions, Sharp would be able to pass on his knowledge to the younger members of the squad and help them cope with the demands of maintaining such a consistent level.

Sharp would also add a much-needed strength in depth to the forward line over the long journey of a League One season.

There is a lot of pressure on Bishop to sustain the high standards he has set for himself so far this term, but Sharp’s arrival could be key to keeping themselves at the summit if Bishop enters a poor run of form or picks up a lengthy injury.

If Pompey were to secure a deal for Sharp, it would be seen as one of the biggest coups League One has witnessed.

A forward department consisting of Bishop and Sharp would guarantee goals at the top end of the pitch and see Portsmouth possess one of the strongest frontlines in the division.