Delighted Andre Dozzell's Portsmouth pledge after securing his Fratton Park future

The midfielder secured his Pompey future when victory over Watford secured Championship safety with two matches to spare.

Under terms of his 12-month deal, staying up automatically triggered a contract extension for the former Ipswich man, thereby tying him to the Blues until the summer of 2026.

While seven of his team-mates are currently sweating to learn whether they will be retained by John Mousinho, Dozzell now has the security he craved.

And he’s looking forward to a pre-season return ahead of a thoroughly-deserved second season as a Pompey player.

The 26-year-old told The News: ‘I love it here, from the first day I really enjoyed it. Now I’m delighted to extend that to next year, then see what happens.

‘Coming up from League One, the first goal was to stay up and we did that. Next year we’ll probably have different goals and I’m looking forward to it.

‘I feel I’ve got a lot more to give, there’s a lot more to come. I’ve had a year under my belt here so I know how the gaffer wants to play now, it’s very clear to me. Next year I will be looking to hit new heights.

‘It’s not just me, you can see since December the whole team has changed, it’s playing together a bit more, understanding the way of playing.

‘Staying here means I can have a proper pre-season as well, it was kind of tough to get up to speed when I first arrived. I had two weeks training with Sheffield United, then came here - then was chucked in straight against Leeds.

‘A two-week pre-season isn’t ideal, but that’s football for you and I hope it will be a good pre-season for me.

‘Regular matches, confidence, the manager playing me, they’ve all played a part in improving my performance and long may that continue at Pompey.’

‘Portsmouth can be a real threat in the Championship next season’

Signing just five days before the Championship campaign kicked off in August, it was a swift baptism for Dozzell.

He started Pompey’s opening five league fixtures, before spending a month on the bench when Freddie Potts and Marlon Pack were preferred as the central midfield combination.

However, with Pack dropping back into the centre of defence in an emergency, Dozzell subsequently spent the remainder of the season largely as a first-team regular, totalling 41 appearances and two goals.

His blossoming form also won over the supporters, with many having initially viewed the former QPR man’s free transfer arrival as an uninspiring signing for the Championship.

However, his experience at this level has proven crucial and, following Pompey’s 16th-placed finish in his first season, he’s gazing even higher for next term.

Dozzell added: ‘It’s a difficult league so we can’t take for granted staying up - it will be another tough season next year.

‘But, from the performances since December, we can be a real threat in this league. There’s no reason why we can’t look up, so who knows what we can achieve.’

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