Andy Cullen has promised to address Pompey’s out-of-contract eight at ‘the correct moment’.
Instead, the Blues’ present focus is on the upcoming January transfer window, as they look to strengthen.
Colby Bishop, Regan Poole, and Kusini Yengi are among the players whose Fratton Park contracts expire at the end of the season.
Others include Andre Dozzell, Zak Swanson, Tom Lowery, Anthony Scully, and Ben Stevenson. Bishop, Yengi, and Swanson all have 12-month club options on their present contracts, which means Rich Hughes and John Mousinho will have the final say on whether they stay.
Poole, who is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury, is the most concerning, as Pompey made no mention of the presence of such a clause when officially announcing his arrival in July 2023.
That raises the troubling potential that he will go on his own terms next summer – and for nothing.
Pompey’s chief executive told The News: “I never comment on individual negotiations with players or their agents, but we obviously have a number of players whose contracts will expire in the summer.”
‘We’ll work with them when the time comes, but I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to comment on individual contracts or players – because a lot can happen between now and the conclusion of the season.
‘Clearly, Regan and Colby are among them. I am overjoyed for Colby since he has been able to resume his job far sooner than anyone expected or predicted. He’s returned and made such a difference for us.
Similarly, after 11 months, Regan returned to the team and arguably played more regularly than we would have liked.
‘He is currently out but will return shortly and is still everything we hoped when we signed him as an out-of-contract player in the summer.
of 2023 ‘For us, those discussions will take place when the moment is appropriate. They are not necessarily on hold; the timing of all of these things is determined by continuing to consider every eventuality in every setting.
‘Our immediate focus is on the January transfer window; we will consider other options as we progress.’
Lowery, Stephenson, and Scully clearly have no future at Fratton Park and will be allowed to depart next summer.
Ideally, the Blues would welcome the out-of-favour trio’s departure in January, given they had plainly played their final games for the club and were not included in their 25-man Football League squad.
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