The Portsmouth position over raiding Chelsea for talent this summer after Charlton Athletic and Birmingham City loanee considered

And Blues assistant head coach Jon Harley has assessed the outgoing players at Stamford Bridge, with a view to potential swoops.

But it currently appears unlikely deals will be advanced for talent in either category, as the recruitment drive continues.

The News understands Dutch left-back Juan Castillo was a player considered, as the former Birmingham and Charlton man becomes a free agent this summer.

Pompey opted to bring in Jack Sparkes from Exeter, however, who is viewed as one of the best lower league free agents in his position.

Malik Mothersille, who scored two pre-season goals against the Blues in 2021, is another out-of-contract option who has been mentioned as a possible option.

He has been offered a new deal to stay at Stamford Bridge which he has yet to sign, and is reported to have clubs interested in England and Germany.

Pompey are unsure about the 19-year-old fitting into their set-up in terms of profile and temperament, with the attacker not someone they are looking at right now.

It’s Harley who brings the link with Chelsea, after spending a decade at the club he served as a player after leaving Fratton Park in 2013.

His ties, knowledge and contacts with the Premier League club's academy are an obvious weapon in Pompey’s arsenal when it comes to recruitment.

There were players like promising midfielder Charlie Webster to weigh up, but the 19-year-old recently completed a loan move to the Dutch top-flight side Heerenveen.

The likes of Omari Hutchinson, Harvey Vale, Ian Maatsen, Cesare Casadei and Bashir Humphrey are other emerging players at the club.

But even coming through the ranks at Chelsea, they can command massive salaries which Pompey would have to cover in part, and puts them beyond the realms of reasonable value.

Likewise, most of the more highly regarded emerging players at the club’s Cobham base would have their eyes on temporary or permanent moves to the Championship or top-flight European clubs at this stage.

That may well alter in some cases, though, as the window progresses and sides from the top two divisions assess their squads as the start of the season nears.