'We’re having discussions' - Portsmouth handed boost in their long-standing pursuit of Ipswich defender ahead of transfer deadline day

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna has revealed talks are currently taking place with players who could still leave Portman Road before the transfer window closes at 11pm on Friday.

And with Edmundson now reportedly the Tractor Boys’ sixth-choice centre-back following the £12m signing of Dara O’Shea over the weekend, there’s a strong possibility he could be among those let go by the Premier League new boys in the coming days.

According to twtd.co.uk, former Blues winger Marcus Harness could also depart the Suffolk outfit, with McKenna reportedly closing in on the £8m signing of Luton winger Chiedozie Ogbene. The 28-year-old - who left Pompey for Ipswich in 2022 for a fee in the region of £750,000 - has featured off the bench for Ipswich’s opening two games of the season against Liverpool and Manchester City respectively.

But just like Edmundson, his future has been cast in doubt after the Portman Road boss admitted ‘honest conversations’ have been held with the aim of helping the Tractor Boys trim their current 27-man squad.

Speaking ahead of his side’s Carabao Cup trip to AFC Wimbledon on Wednesday night, McKenna was asked whether he had ruthless decisions to make ahead of the transfer window closing.

In response, the Northern Irishman said: ‘It’s not necessarily about ruthless decisions, by any means. It’s about finding the right thing for the club and the right thing for the players.

‘Of course, everyone wants to be playing in the Premier League but there’s only 11 players that can play every week and there’s only a reasonable amount underneath that that you can keep to have appropriate squad depth.

‘We want to have a big squad but, of course, there are limitations to that. We’re having discussions already with the players and at this club we try and do the right thing by the players as often as possible, to try and have good, honest conversations with them and as much as possible try and find the balance between what’s right for us and what’s right for their careers.

‘We’re having those conversations every day, every week throughout the season anyway and we’ll be having some of those this week and will make sure that we’ve got the right depth, the right cover and right options in the squad, and also try and find the right pathway and the right options for each player who is under our care.’

Pompey failed in a bid to land Edmundson in January, after the 27-year-old was surprisingly handed the chance to play more of a role in Ipswich’s promotion to the Premier League.

Having featured just twice in the Championship before Christmas, the former Rangers man played eight times in the league over the second half of the season as the Tractor Boys claimed second place behind Championship title-winners Leicester.

The Blues have been keeping tabs on the player’s availability ever since, without receiving any encouragement from the Portman Road club. However, the arrival of O’Shea and McKenna’s latest comments on Ipswich’s squad size has once again placed a question mark on Edmundson’s future.

McKenna added: ‘It would be inappropriate to speak about any individuals. We speak to all the individuals in the squad about their pathway and their options and where they would fit in the squad and what might be best for them this season and beyond. We do that for every player in the squad.’

Pompey remain in the hunt for a centre-back, despite already recruiting 13 players during the current transfer window. A combination of injuries and illness to Conor Shaughnessy, Regan Poole and Tom McIntyre forced John Mousinho to partner Jordan Williams and Ryley Tower in the centre of defence during Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Middlesbrough.

Edmundson has featured 75 times for Ipswich since joining from Rangers in 2021, when the Blues were also keen on securing his signature.