Former Portsmouth midfielder handed welcome good news following latest career setback

Former Pompey midfielder Ben Close has received some welcome good news.

The 27-year-old has been handed a new two-year deal at Doncaster Rovers - just weeks after many had wondered whether the Fratton Park Academy graduate had played his last game for the League Two outfit.

Close, whose time at the Keepmoat has been blighted by injury, suffered a season-ending knee injury against Bradford in January. And with his contract with Rovers up at the end of the season, there were fears the ex-Priory School pupil’s spell in Yorkshire could come to an end after three seasons.

That won’t be the case, though, with the midfielder penning a new deal with Donny until the summer of 2026 and set to added to his 82 appearances and six goals for the club when he fully recovers.

Boss Grant McCann said: ‘We're very pleased to agree a new deal with Ben.

‘Before he picked up the unfortunate injury at Bradford, he was in top form. His performances were of a very high standard and we turned down some bids for him in January.

‘We are looking forward to getting Ben back fit because he's integral for us and how we play.’

Close told the Rovers website: ‘I’m really pleased to get this sorted. I really feel that the club is going in the right direction and I’m looking forward to being a part of it over the next two years.

‘The way the second half of the season has panned out and if we can keep a lot of the group of players we’ve got now together, I think we’ll have a really good chance of achieving success next year and in the years to come as well.’

Doncaster are currently 12th in the League Two table with four games left to play. Close, who suffered a knee in his first season with the club, had made 27 appearances this term when he suffered his latest setback against the Bantams on January 30

The Pompey fan came through the Fratton Park ranks to make his first-team debut aged 18 years and 24 days in September 2014 at Yeovil in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.

He went on to play 190 times for the Blues, scoring 18 goals. He started Pompey’s 2019 Checkatrade Trophy final win over Sunderland and featured as a substitute in the 2021 Wembley defeat to Salford.

However, despite starting 10 of Danny Cowley’s 12 matches in charge as interim head coach at the end of the 2020-21 campaign, he was released that summer upon the expiry of his contract.