Portsmouth winger set for shock exit - Wrexham, Charlton and Luton should pounce for Premier League veteran | OneFootball

Wrexham, Charlton and Luton should be ready to pounce for Matt Ritchie's signature, with the winger set for a shock Portsmouth exit.

Portsmouth winger Matt Ritchie is reportedly on the verge of a surprise exit from the club this month.

According to The News, the 35-year-old is close to finalising a move away from Fratton Park for the second time in his career, just a year after making a return to his boyhood club.

Ritchie is said to have sought assurances over playing time ahead of the 2025/26 Championship campaign, but manager John Mousinho has informed him that he cannot guarantee regular minutes this season.

As a result, the experienced winger has not travelled with the squad to their pre-season training camp in Slovakia. Instead, he has remained in England to pursue a move elsewhere in hopes of securing more consistent game time in the twilight years of his career.

Ritchie rejoined Pompey last summer, 13 years after his initial departure to Swindon Town, having made just 10 senior appearances during his first spell. In the 2024/25 season, he featured 41 times across all competitions.

His return brought him closer to his roots in Gosport and followed a successful career at the top level, where he earned 16 international caps for Scotland and made 182 Premier League appearances for both AFC Bournemouth and Newcastle United.

With the veteran set to leave Pompey, three EFL clubs should be ready to pounce and secure Ritchie's signature.

Wrexham AFC

Wrexham’s meteoric rise under Hollywood ownership has been nothing short of remarkable.

Back-to-back promotions have propelled them into the Championship for the first time in over 40 years, and, as has been the case throughout their ascent, they are not looking to simply leave it there.

Ryan Hardie and goalkeeper Danny Ward have arrived, and links to Tom Cairney at the end of last term suggest that experience is once again a pathway for Wrexham when it comes to their recruitment.

With Phil Parkinson likely to continue setting his side up in a 3-5-2, Ritchie is able to cover multiple positions in one specific system.

James McClean is currently operating out on the left for Wrexham. The Irishman started 39 League One matches last season, contributing four goals and seven assists across all competitions while wearing the captain's armband, but he's not played in the second tier since 2022/23 when turning out for Wigan Athletic.

Ritchie has made 49 career appearances at left-back, and could fit seamlessly into what is more of a wing-back role at Wrexham as either a replacement or rotation option for McClean.

Both as elder-statesmen in the squad, the pair would benefit from not having to play 46 league matches at the ages of 35 and 36 respectively.

While the same can also be said for the opposite flank, the 35-year-old could also be an option for one of the two outside midfielders in the three containing George Dobson, Matty James and Oliver Rathbone.

While not a central midfielder by trade, the experience and know-how of the Championship could see him slot in seamlessly to see out results, or provide moments of magic with his aforementioned fantastic left foot.

With almost 200 Premier League appearances and a hatful in the Championship, Ritchie's experience could prove vital for a newly promoted side looking to establish themselves in the second tier, before Wrexham's ambitious owners undoubtedly look to progress further up the league in the coming years.

Charlton Athletic

Another newly promoted side, Charlton, sealed their path back to the Championship through the League One play-offs and are already moving aggressively in the transfer market.

Sonny Carey, Thomas Kaminski, Reece Burke, and Amari’i Bell have all arrived as they look to settle down in the Championship after suffering instant relegation in their first year back in 2020.

With a relatively young and inexperienced forward line, Ritchie could complement this perfectly. He can operate on both flanks as back-up for the likes of Tyreece Campbell, or in more central zones where his technical levels are still more than at the level required for the rough and tumble of the Championship.

As for any club looking to secure his signature this summer, Ritchie's wealth of experience will prove vital, especially for a side looking to potentially follow a similar path to that of Portsmouth last term, with a solid first year back to secure a Championship future.

Nathan Jones continues to reiterate the importance of raising standards ahead of the Addicks' Championship return, and Ritchie could be a valuable option to aid in doing exactly that.

A model professional with fantastic on-the-ball abilities in the side would add great value to a Charlton side looking to navigate the second tier for the first time in five years.

Luton Town

It’s been a rough ride recently for Luton.

After their relegation from the Premier League in 2023/24, they suffered a second successive drop and now find themselves back in League One for 2025/26. The downturn in form and subsequent loss of Rob Edwards have left the Hatters in need of a reset as they aim to stabilise.

Luton’s immediate goal will be to bounce back to the Championship, and an experienced pro with the know-how of Ritchie would do the club absolutely no harm. With his hunger to still play regular football in the twilight of his career, Luton could be a viable step back down to League One if he were to make it.

And with key squad members moving on or out of contract, the room is definitely there for someone like Ritchie alongside another arrival with a huge bank of experience in Nahki Wells.

As mentioned when discussing Wrexham as a potential landing spot, Ritchie's versatility could see him as a valuable option for the left-wing back position likely to be available due to the departure of Amari'i Bell, and potential exit for Alfie Doughty.

So while the latter provides lung-busting runs like no other wideman in the EFL, Ritchie's overall technical excellence would be a fantastic asset for Luton manager Matt Bloomfield.

Once again, his knowledge of the EFL alongside top-level experience is something that any manager would love to have, and despite not playing at League One level since the early days of his Bournemouth spell, a move at this stage of his career would not necessarily be too much of a step down, with Luton one of the favourites to gain promotion back to the second tier at the first time of asking.

When it comes to playing regular football and starting matches, dropping down a division to one of the promotion favourites could be Ritchie's best bet.