Portsmouth pre-season state of play: Who will and won't be present for next week's training return

As ever, there will be plenty of optimism surrounding the start of the Blues’ pre-season as the players assemble for another attempt at promotion.

Monday marks the return of John Mousinho’s men to their Hilsea training base in preparation for the forthcoming campaign.

Among them will be six new faces following a busy beginning to the transfer window and, crucially, last season’s 24-goal top scorer Colby Bishop.

Although it won’t be until Thursday before Pompey’s new-look squad are involved in full training on the relaid Copnor Road pitches.

The players will spend the opening two days of pre-season undergoing medical and physical testing following their summer away.

That approach has long been customary in football, designed to assess each individual’s fitness levels before commencing work on the training pitch.

With Wednesday earmarked as a day off, the real hard grind will commence on Thursday, with The News and other local media invited to watch that session.

Those in attendance will include newcomers Will Norris, Conor Shaughnessy, Christian Saydee, Terry Devlin, Anthony Scully and Ben Stevenson.

All six were recruited in the opening eight days of the transfer window during a racing start by the Blues, overseen by sporting director Rich Hughes.

In addition, promising teenager Josh Dockerill has now graduated into the first-team from the Academy, while Haji Mnoga and Liam Vincent have come back from successful loans.

Despite eight departures at the end of last term, plus five loanees returning to their parent clubs, there will be unusually healthy playing numbers for an opening day of training.

Although the likes of Joe Morrell and Paddy Lane have been granted additional time off having recently been on international duty with Wales and Northern Ireland respectively.

Ronan Curtis is also likely to be present, regardless of having turned down the offer of a new 12-month contract, rendering him out of contract on July 1.

The club’s medical department will continue to provide rehabilitation and duty of care for the Republic of Ireland international during his recovery from an ACL injury sustained in February.

Inevitably that ensures Curtis remaining around Pompey’s training ground until at least September as he focuses on getting fit for whatever the future may bring in terms of playing destinations.

In terms of backroom staff, head coach Mousinho will still be assisted by Jon Harley, Zesh Rehman, Joe Prodomo and Dan Ashby, who all ended last season by his side.

Although there is set to be a familiar face returning to be part of Pompey’s set-up – Michael Doyle.

The popular skipper of the League Two title-winning side is in the process of joining the Academy as under-18s assistant to Sam Hudson, although the club have not yet confirmed.

There are, however, strong doubts over whether one particular first-team player will attend – Jay Mingi.

He has long been expected to quit Fratton Park this summer for a fresh challenge, although is officially still contracted until July 1.