Simon Bassey plots Portsmouth first-team entrance for highly-regarded Bristol City newcomer

Ryley Towler became the Blues’ first recruit of the January transfer window after arriving from Bristol City for around £30,000.

The 20-year-old will link-up with his new team-mates on Monday, although is cup-tied for the Papa John’s Trophy quarter-final at Bolton on Tuesday night.

Towler has featured 24 times in League Two with AFC Wimbledon this season and is regarded as a player for the future.

But Simon Bassey, who was involved in his scouting, believes the left-sided centre-half can push for a first-team spot this term.

Pompey’s caretaker boss told The News: ‘I’ve watched Ryley about 5-6 times this year, has lots of good attributes.

‘He’s young, left-footed, 6ft 2in, not slow, can step in and hit diagonals, and play through the lines. Left footers are really hard to find.

‘I have been across him for a couple of years now, he is one we’ve kept an eye on and Rich Hughes has done a brilliant job getting it over the line for us.

‘From the first time I saw Riley this season, compared to the fifth or sixth, the improvement was huge and these young players will get better with games, they need games.

‘Sometimes it’s at Pompey, sometimes it might be a loan, but you only learn when you’re playing. The game of football is the best teacher in the world.

‘Whether he is ready for the first-team this season is up to him.

‘There’s an opportunity and springboard here, a shop window, there’s game time here, we aren’t blessed with a lot of players, if he’s fit and ready, then I’ll find out whether he is good enough and ready at the moment.

‘But I have every confidence in him, from what I have seen he will be a really good asset to this football club.’

Despite aged 20, Towler has already amassed 43 appearances in his playing career.

That includes four Championship starts, most recently in January 2022 against Millwall, while also featured in the National League for Grimsby last season.

Bassey added: ‘Ryley did well at Wimbledon, they were really pleased with him. Jacko (Johnnie Jackson), the manager, moaned at me the other day, telling me to stop nicking his players.

‘I had to tell him he wasn't actually his player, but Bristol City’s!’