Portsmouth favourite Begovic ‘could do the unthinkable’ as Southampton details emerge
Portsmouth will face off against bitter rivals Southampton in the league next season for the first time since 2012.
The date of the South Coast derby will be of great interest to both sets of fans when the Championship fixtures are released on 26 June.
And it’s now rumoured that former Portsmouth favourite Asmir Begovic could be lining up for the Saints in that match.
Begovic linked with move to Southampton
Southampton are reported to be in talks with goalkeeper Asmir Begovic over a move to St Mary’s stadium.
The 38-year-old is available on a free transfer as his contract at Everton is set to expire at the end of the month.
Begovic began his professional career at Portsmouth, although he only made 17 appearances before being sold to Stoke in a £3.2million deal in 2010.
The Bosnian went on to enjoy a lengthy career playing for several Premier League clubs, including Chelsea, Bournemouth and Everton.
According to Football Insider (20 June), Southampton are battling with Leicester for Begovic’s signature.
Either deal could see him return to Fratton Park as an opposition player, but one decision would lead to a much warmer reception than the other.
Goalkeeper is the one position where Portsmouth aren’t looking to improve this summer
It’s set to be a busy summer transfer window for Portsmouth this summer.
John Mousinho has admitted there won’t be as many new recruits as last year, but told fans to expect more than one or two.
It’s well-known that Mousinho needs some midfielders, a striker and potentially a centre-half. Most fans would agree that’s the bare minimum if the Blues are to avoid a relegation fight.
| Goalkeeper | Appearances |
| Nicolas Schmid | 35 |
| Ben Killip | 2 |
| Jordan Archer | 2 |
| Toby Steward | 0 |
However, it could be said that goalkeeper is the only position where Mousinho isn’t actively looking to improve.
Nicolas Schmid emerged as one of the most reliable stoppers in the Championship last season, plus Ben Killip has just been offered a new contract.
So, there’s little chance of Pompey joining the race to sign Begovic, even though he’s available on a free transfer.
Instead, the South Coast club want outfield players to fire goals past him if he does return with an opposition team.
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