Ex-Portsmouth target sparks Championship transfer battle as Charlton eye Coventry striker

Pompey have now confirmed their retained squad players ahead of the 2024/25 Championship return with John Mousinho announcing the exits of several first team stars.

Last night, 11 first team players were announced to be departing Fratton Park with Joe Morrell and Zak Swanson the biggest shocks of the night as it was confirmed they remain in contract negotiations, while four loanees are to return to their parent clubs. In addition, 12 academy players have also been released with Mousinho’s Championship plans now in full motion.

With just under a month to go until the transfer window opens up, here is the latest news from around Pompey’s soon-to-be league rivals...

Ex-Pompey target sparks Championship transfer battle

Sheffield United, who confirmed their relegation back to the Championship following their 5-1 defeat to Newcastle, and Hull City are both reported to be interested in signing the former Pompey target Marc Leonard.

Leonard has spent the last month on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion with Northampton Town and has been a stand-out performer for the League One outfit winning the club’s Player of the Season and Player’s Player of the Season awards.

The Seagulls are in an excellent negotiating position with Leonard’s current contract set to expire in 2025 and, according to reports from Football Insider, they are unlikely to stand in the way of a summer move, asking prospective buyers for £300,000 for the Scottish youth international.

While the Blades will be seeking players who can help them make a return straight back into the Premier League, Hull currently sit just two points outside of the current play-off spots and could be in a position to offer Leonard a shot at Premier League game time.

Charlton to ‘swoop’ on Coventry star

Another former Pompey target is once again attracting interest with League One side Charlton Athletic hopeful of swooping in on the Coventry striker Matt Godden.

Reports from London News Online have claimed the 32-year-old, who is under contract with the Sky Blues until June 2025, is on the Addicks radar ahead of the upcoming transfer window. The Valley side are set to endure their worst ever finishing position as a poor first half of the 2023/24 campaign has left them 16th. However, Nathan Jones is readying himself for a promotion-challenging season in 2024/25 and Godden has been seen as someone who can help bolster their attacking department by adding in some more experience.

The Sky Blues star has made 155 appearances across all competitions, scoring 50 goals in the process since his arrival at Coventry in 2019. He has helped them to achieve promotion from League One, an appearance in the Championship play-off final and the FA Cup semi-final during his time at the CBS Arena but it remains unclear whether he would consider heading back down a league to join the South-East London club.