View: Portsmouth have decision to make as Ryley Towler opens up on Fratton Park future
John Mousinho must decide whether Ryley Towler is a part of his plans at Portsmouth next season.
Preparations will already be well underway ahead of Pompey’s return to the Championship next month.
There will be plenty of things for Mousinho to consider, and supporters will be most intrigued by the potential incomings at Fratton Park.
However, deciding which players already at the club are part of his plans for next season will be just as important for Mousinho.
The 38-year-old will be desperate to assemble a squad that can compete in the Championship, and he must decide whether or not defender Towler will be part of that squad.
If it were up to the 22-year-old – who struggled for game time last season – he would be.
Towler said, via The News (11 July), “I obviously want to be here – it’s Portsmouth in the Championship, I love it here.
“I love the appreciation. I used to be a fan, so to have them cheering me on and be able to give a bit back is appreciated. They deserve it.”
Towler still has two years left to run on his deal at Fratton Park, with the club considering a development loan for the young defender ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
With the player keen to stay, but a temporary move being considered, Mousinho now has a decision to make, and there would no doubt be plenty of takers for Towler.
While he only managed 11 appearances last season, whenever he did play, he did well.
Will John Mousinho decide to keep Ryley Towler at Portsmouth?
Of the 11 matches he appeared in, Towler was on the losing side on just two occasions. He ended the season on a high, starting Pompey’s final match of their League One title-winning campaign, a 2-0 victory at Lincoln (27 April).
Although his side had already won the division by that point, and there was therefore perhaps less pressure on the match, Towler still put in a performance he could be proud of.
As per Sofascore, the centre-back made six clearances, two tackles, blocked one shot and made one interception.
In addition, he won five of his six ground duels and three of his four aerial duels, while completing 75 per cent of his passes.
John Mousinho has decisions to make with his Portsmouth defence
With Sean Raggett – who started 30 matches in the league for Portsmouth last season – having left the club to join Rotherham United, that could open up a spot in the squad for Towler.
Raggett was a consistent performer for Pompey last season, with the 30-year-old registering 0.4 tackles per 90, and 0.5 interceptions per 90 while also making 3.8 clearances per 90 (WhoScored).
Therefore, he will need replacing, although his spot in the team might instead be taken by Jordan Williams, who has signed for the club from Barnsley.
Williams played in every single one of Barnsley’s league matches last season. The 24-year-old averaged 2.2 tackles per 90, 0.8 interceptions per 90 and two clearances per 90.
As a result, he is likely to slot straight into the Portsmouth team next season, which would once again leave Towler on the periphery of the first team.
Therefore, as the season draws closer, Mousinho needs to make a decision. Towler has made his feelings clear, and now it is time for the Portsmouth boss to do the same.
In other Portsmouth news, the club are to benefit from hospitality sales as Fratton Park is renovated.
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