‘Mousinho has Portsmouth transfer call to make amid official farewell announcement’
Portsmouth’s efforts to replace loan players who have now returned to their parent clubs has been dominating talk in the early stages of the close season.
John Mousinho has expressed his desire to bring Rob Atkinson and Freddie Potts back to Fratton Park, and many fans are on tenterhooks waiting to see if that will be possible.
If the deals cannot be done, replacing these stars will be one of the key priorities for the Portsmouth boss this summer.
However, Mousinho also has to decide upon the futures of the loan players returning to Fratton Park, and there’s one particularly exciting young player whose future remains uncertain.
Reuben Swann returns to Portsmouth after successful loan spell
Reuben Swann, 19, was sent on loan to Havant and Waterlooville for the 2024-25 season and was able to gain some vital first-team experience.
He made 43 appearances in all competitions for the Southern League Premier South side, scoring seven goals and chipping in with six assists.
That loan spell officially ended earlier this month, and now Mousinho has to decide the best next step for the teenager.
Swann has hinted that he’d be excited to happy to return to Westleigh Park for another season. However, there has been no official announcement on that front.
Mousinho will hope that young players can make an impact for Pompey
John Mousinho has proven that he’s a manager who’s willing to rely on young players, most notably with 21-year-old Potts, who cemented a place in the Blues starting XI despite having never previously played at Championship level.
Mousinho would be delighted if a talented player rose from the youth team ranks to do a job in the first team, given that Pompey are working with a lower budget than most other clubs in the league.
| Players loaned out by Portsmouth: 2024-25 | To | Date |
| Reuben Swann | Havant and Waterlooville | 9 August 2024 |
| Tom Lowery | Crewe Alexandra | 30 January 2025 |
| Tom McIntyre | Charlton Athletic | 3 February 2025 |
| Anthony Scully | Colchester United | 3 February 2025 |
Still, no player will be rushed into the big time until they’re ready. In this case, a return to Havant and Waterlooville would probably be the best move for Swann.
The Hawks have a long history of helping to develop Portsmouth’s youth players, and the best thing for Swann right now would be to get more minutes under his belt, even if that means moving away from Fratton Park again.