Portsmouth and Charlie Savage update after Reading man linked with Fratton Park transfer
It has been reported by Football Insider that the 22-year-old is a Blues target
Charlie Savage is not on Pompey’s radar for a summer transfer.
The Reading midfielder has been linked with a Fratton Park switch, with John Mousinho’s men reportedly in a four-way tussle with Birmingham, Wrexham and Blackburn.
The £2m-rated youngster has totalled 96 appearances, 12 goals and 15 assists for the League One club over the last two years after arriving from Manchester United.
However, despite Football Insider claims over the Blues’ interest, The News understands Savage is not being pursued by Pompey.
Similarly, BirminghamLive have today also dismissed the returning Championship club’s supposed desire to bring the 22-year-old to St Andrew’s - the club where his dad Robbie featured.
Portsmouth desperate to strengthen midfield
Certainly Pompey are keen to add two central midfielders to their squad this summer, following the departures of loanees Freddie Potts and Isaac Hayden, who have returned to their Premier League clubs.
But it won’t be Savage, who had previously been linked in the summer of 2024, also without much foundation.
At it stands, Mousinho presently has Andre Dozzell and Marlon Pack for the centre of midfield, yet the position desperately requires strengthening ahead of the new campaign.
Dozzell was a surprise success story for Pompey last season, with their survival earning him an additional 12-months through a contractual obligation.
However, he started just one of the final five matches, with Mousinho largely favouring Potts and Hayden in the centre of midfield.
As for Pack, following the 2-0 defeat at Cardiff in October 2024, he started just once more in midfield for the remainder of the campaign - on the final day against Hull.
Instead, the majority of his 41 appearances came as a makeshift central defender as he drifted out of the reckoning for his preferred position in the centre of the pitch.
Fallen out of contention
Terry Devlin is an option, although Mousinho presently believes the 21-year-old is better suited to a right-back role, where he also featured twice for Northern Ireland in March.
The only other central midfield candidate is Abdoulaye Kamara, who has dropped right out of contention since January, having failed to make a single squad since the January FA Cup defeat at Wycombe.
The ex-Borussia Dortmund youngster has made six Pompey appearances since his August 2024 move, although Mousinho believes the team’s change in playing style impacted on the 20-year-old’s match minutes.
Although the Blues still consider Kamara as a work in progress and it will be intriguing to see how they handle the former Bundesliga 2 player during the forthcoming pre-season schedule.
Regardless, Pompey are targeting filling two first-team central midfield slots before the 2025-26 Championship season kicks off.
But that doesn’t include Savage who, ironically, could end up facing the Blues when they travel to Reading for a pre-season friendly on Saturday, July 26 (3pm).
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