‘Colby Bishop in Portsmouth firing line amid transfer update’
Colby Bishop re-established himself as the main man in the Portsmouth attack throughout the 2024-25 season.
There was some doubt whether Bishop could deliver the goals in the Championship, not only because he’d never played in the second tier, but also because he had to recover from open heart surgery last summer.
The striker missed the first three months of the season because of the procedure, but he scored a penalty on his return and hasn’t looked back. He finished the season with 11 goals from 32 appearances.
However, the 28-year-old may have some fresh hurdles to overcome next season if the transfer rumours surrounding Pompey prove to be accurate.
Pompey linked with new striker addition
The Blues continue to be linked with Gambian striker Abdoulie Manneh.
The forward is in red-hot form in Sweden’s Allsvenskan this season, having scored six goals in 12 appearances for Mjallby AIF. That return makes him the joint-highest scorer in the league.
Manneh, 20, also has three assists to his name. His performances have alerted several clubs in England including Portsmouth, Burnley and Wolves.
The News reported (27 May) that Pompey have been monitoring Manneh for some time, although Mjallby AIF value him at around £4.2million.
That would be significantly more than the Blues could afford to pay, so some serious negotiation would need to take place to secure Manneh’s signature.
Big-money signing could throw Bishop future into doubt
It was one of the moments of the season when Colby Bishop returned to Fratton Park after his heart surgery and netted against Preston North End.
This wasn’t just a feel-good story. It was the return of Pompey’s most prolific striker. He went on to prove he can do the business consistently in the Championship for Portsmouth.
| Appearances | Minutes Played | Goals | Assists |
| 32 | 2635 | 11 | 3 |
No doubt he’ll be looking to stay injury-free and improve on his 11-goal tally next season.
However, if Pompey were to spend anywhere near the reported valuation to recruit Manneh, that would put Bishop’s role as starting striker into doubt.
You don’t spend that sort of money for a striker to learn his trade on the bench. Not when you’re a club the size of Portsmouth.
If the Blues did splash that sort of cash on a striker, it would also signal that John Mousinho doesn’t see Bishop as the man to fire Pompey up the league.
Whatever happens, Bishop has proven he’s a fighter, so you can expect him to do all he can to remain in the team and bang in the goals next season.