Ex-Portsmouth flop gains transfer interest as Pompey rivals ready for summer business

For Bolton and Oxford, all eyes are on the promotion play-offs on Saturday 18 May. For Pompey and Derby County, however, attention has already turned to how they can strengthen their squads ahead of the summer transfer window opening in June.

Ten players have already been released from Fratton Park with John Mousinho keen to create necessary space ahead of what he anticipates to be a busy summer of acquiring talent.

With less than a month to go before Pompey can kick-off their summer business ahead of the Championship, here is the latest transfer news from their soon-to-be rivals...

Ex-Pompey flop enjoys transfer interest

The former Pompey loanee and Sheffield Wednesday midfielder George Byers is departing the Hillsborough club this summer with The Star confirming he will have plenty of options on his next destination.

Byers, who spent the second half of the 2020/21 season on loan at Fratton Park, joined Sheffield Wednesday in 2021, helping them achieve promotion back to the Championship last season. He has spent the last three months on loan with Blackpool and although the club did not manage a League One top six finish, the 27-year-old received much praise for his performances.

The Star has now reported that while Byers considers his options ahead of the 2024/25 season, Birmingham City, Huddersfield Town and Rotherham United have all been eyeing his movements. Barnsley and Blackpool are also named as admirers of the 27-year-old.

The midfielder becomes a free agent on July 1st and as well as the aforementioned clubs interested, Byers has also seen interest from oversees. Play-off finalists Bolton and Oxford are also reported to have made enquiries about his availability. Pompey are not believed to be among the interested parties.

Pompey title rival ready to kick on with summer business

Pompey’s title rivals Derby County are counting down the days until the summer transfer window opens as they seek to sign Charlton Athletic’s Thierry Small.

According to Football Insider, the 19-year-old former Everton left-back does have a new three-year contract currently on the table at the Valley but he is becoming the subject of increasing interest from the soon-to-be Championship side Derby. The teenager joined the Addicks in January on a free move from Southampton and it is said the Nathan Jones’s side are ready to trigger their option to extend his current deal while he weighs up his options.

No official bid has come yet, reportedly, and if it does, Charlton will be in a much stronger negotiating position if they trigger Small’s option to extend.

The England youth international has formerly attracted interest from both Tottenham Hotspur and Rangers, according to Football Insider, and the 19-year-old may view a move back to the Championship as a way to showcase his talent in a bid to make a Premier League return.

Equally, given how frequently the defender has moved in recent times, the option to remain at the Valley for the next three years could be tempting as he bids to develop his consistency in a settled manner.