Transfer update as future of Portsmouth’s emerging starlet becomes clear
Details over the future for Pompey’s standout homegrown asset of recent seasons.
Pompey are set to send Toby Steward out on loan again next season.
The News understands the emerging Blues keeper will continue his football education with another stint away from PO4 in the 2026-27 campaign.
Pompey plan 2026-27 loan for emerging keeper
Pompey’s preference will be for the 21-year-old to find regular football with a League One club to aid his development, though a move to the Scottish Premier League will also be considered.
That is of obvious significance given Steward’s breakout campaign north of the border with St Johnstone, who stormed to title success in the second tier.
The academy graduate picked up 20 clean sheets - a record in the Scottish Championship - as well as being named in the division’s team of the season as his stock grew.
There’s been a clamour among some fans to see Steward vie for first-team football with Nicolas Schmid at Fratton Park next term.
Pompey view the leap between the Scottish and English Championship as substantial, however, and would like to see the former Henry Cort Community College student continue his upward career trajectory with another development loan.
Steward’s Fratton future is secure after his signed a new deal until the end of next season, with a club option to extend that stay for another 12 months. That leaves Pompey well protected in the face of suitors making a bid for their asset.
He has now returned south after his adventure in Perth, with the plan to report back for pre-season training next month and make his mark at Pompey.
The Blues will assess the keeper ahead of the new campaign, before making a definitive judgement on the path ahead for the former Crawley loanee.
Mousinho spoke about Steward’s future in February, where he outlined his desire to assess the keeper with goalkeeping coach Joe Prodomo in pre-season.
He said then: ‘He will be here next year challenging for a spot - that’s the plan for Toby.
‘Now whether we then go for one more year on loan, I don’t know, it will depend on what the level is because I think he’s now stepped up really well. He’s part of a side who is absolutely flying this year in the Scottish second division
‘We then have to see if we think the jump is from there to the Championship, or maybe to someone in League One.
‘I don’t know about that, but Toby has done well enough this year to come back and really warrant pushing for a place in that goalkeeping department, at least.’