League One players Portsmouth could be tempted to lodge a bid for - from Doncaster, Gillingham and Shrewsbury

Kenny Jackett’s not the sort of manager who’ll be binging through series after series on Netflix during the suspension of the season.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Ozark? Unlikely. Tiger King? Not a chance.

Instead, surveying copious clips of potential transfer targets is one way the Blues manager will be filling his time.

Along with his trusted-assistant Joe Gallen and head of recruitment Phil Boardman, Jackett will be using the shutdown of football to plan for Pompey’s future.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Transfer targets are being scrutinised as we speak, using analytic websites such as Wyscout, with due diligence on potential fresh faces being thoroughly carried out.

And League One is as good a starting point as anywhere else to start.

After all, the likes of Ellis Harrison, Andy Cannon, Marcus Harness and John Marquis were all signed from rival third-tier clubs for fees last summer.

Last week, we looked at the five best free agents who could fit the bill for Pompey at the season's end.

..
.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Now we've picked five players from the third tier who the Blues could be tempted to lodge a bid for in any upcoming transfer window.

Rhys Healey (MK Dons)

The Dons will no doubt be expecting interest in their talisman come the end of the campaign.

Striker Healey’s plunders have been a significant reason why Russell Martin’s men have steered clear of the drop zone after a lacklustre start to the campaign.

The former Cardiff forward has bagged 12 goals in just 20 outings – a brilliant return for someone playing for a side in the lower echelons of League One.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Impressively, he was at the fulcrum of the Dons' 3-1 win over the Blues in December, helping himself to a goal and an assist.

In the reverse fixture at Fratton Park, Healey’s guile allowed him to be felled by Ross McCrorie to earn the visitors an equaliser from the penalty spot in a 3-1 loss.

If Jackett decided to lodge a bid, it would certainly give Healey and the Dons something to ponder.

Connor Ogilvie (Gillingham)

The clamour from fans to sign Steve Seddon permanently is wholeheartedly justified given the impact he's made since arriving on loan in January.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But should the Blues be unable to prise him away from Birmingham, a hunt for a new left-back will be on the agenda.

Brandon Haunstrup is likely to depart this summer in search of regular football, which would leave Lee Brown – expected to be offered a club option for an additional year – as the only left-sided defender.

Ogilvie has emerged as one of Gillingham's star men this term and has improved under the tutelage of manager Steve Evans, scoring four goals in 41 appearances.

He has the sort of pedigree that Jackett often looks for during his recruitment process.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The former Stevenage loanee is a former England youth international, while he came through the youth ranks at Tottenham before dropping down the leagues for regular football.

Evans believes Ogilvie can play in the Championship and expects bids this summer.

At the age of 24, he’d also have a sell-on value should he do well.

Ollie Rathbone (Rochdale)

Andy Cannon was signed from Spotland and it’s proven to be a switch worthwhile.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

And Ollie Rathbone could envisage his career taking a similar trajectory in a bid to move up the Football League pyramid.

The former Manchester United midfielder was linked with the Blues in January, along with Blackburn and Sunderland.

He’s a holding midfielder who is combative and lively.

He also has the ability to break forward from deep positions – just watch his goal in the Dale’s 1-1 draw at Doncaster in February.

Although he’s out of contract in 2022, Rochdale may not stand in the 23-year-old’s way for the right price.

Ro-Shaun Williams (Shrewsbury)

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Aaron Pierre is a Shrews centre-back who the Blues have run the rule over in past transfer windows.

However, aged 21, Ro-Shaun Williams fits the mould of a young player who has the potential to develop further and be sold for profit in the future.

The centre-back has rapid pace, having broken Darren Campbell's 100-metre schoolboy sprinting record at 15, and has made 34 appearances this season.

Williams could still be wrapped in the comforts of under-23 football at Manchester United if he’d wished, but instead dropped down the divisions for regular first-team action.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Shrewsbury has proven a decent hunting ground for Jackett at Pompey, signing Craig MacGillivray, James Bolton and Bryn Morris – and he could return for another raid.

Williams has a year left on his New Meadow deal.

Joe Wright (Doncaster)Central defence is an area that may need bolstering, with Sean Raggett's loan deal expiring and Paul Downing well out of favour.

More worryingly, Christian Burgess is yet to sign fresh terms.

But one of Downing’s former Donny team-mates, Wright, could be the sort of player who would fit the bill if reinforcements are required.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

After recovering from a knee injury he sustained in pre-season, Wright has unsurprisingly been a regular in Darren Moore’s side's play-off push, scoring once in 26 games.

The former Huddersfield centre-half has a year left on his Keepmoat contract and Doncaster may not want to run the risk of losing him on a free.

Wright's spoken about his ambition to play in the second tier and could feel Pompey would give him a better chance to do that.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.