Portsmouth chief breaks silence on Callum Lang transfer rumours
Portsmouth fans have been shaken by rumours that Callum Lang could be on his way to Preston North End.
It emerged on Saturday (19 July) that Portsmouth had rejected a £2million bid from Preston for Lang.
Despite that bid being rejected, Preston fans on social media remained adamant that Lang wanted to move, seeming fuelled by information from a club insider.
This has seemingly led to increased fears among Portsmouth fans that Lang could be moved on.
Cullen responds to rumours surrounding Lang leaving Portsmouth
Portsmouth fans initially began to worry about Lang when he missed the pre-season friendly against Crawley on Saturday (19 July). It ultimately emerged that this was due to a slight fitness concern rather than preparations to leave the club.
However, the latest speculation from Preston’s ‘insiders’ has further riled up Portsmouth fans to the point where chief executive Andy Cullen has felt the need to comment on the rumours.
In an interview with The News, he described the rumours surrounding Lang as “unsubstantiated”.
He said: “There is going to be speculation about players coming in and players going out. However, we are never going to comment on players because it doesn’t help us, regardless of whether it’s true or not.
“Callum is really enjoying his football for Pompey and our focus – and Callum’s focus – is on getting fit and available for selection for the start of the season at Oxford. I am not going to comment on anything in terms of unsubstantiated links with him.”
Lang signed for Portsmouth in January 2024 for an undisclosed fee, believed to be around £400,000. He quickly emerged as one of Pompey’s most dangerous attackers, helping the club to win League One before hitting 10 goals in the Championship last season.
He is yet to feature in Portsmouth’s pre-season friendlies due to a slight hamstring niggle.
Portsmouth fans frustrated at £2m bid from Preston North End
Portsmouth fans have been flooding social media with their opinions on Lang potentially leaving Fratton Park, with most suggesting it would be fine to sell him for the right price.
However, the majority of commenters agree that £2m is a long way below the correct valuation of their playmaker.
Lang is 26 years old. He’s a proven threat to all Championship defences. He runs his socks off in every single game. It would be near-on impossible for Pompey to sign another player with these attributes for that price.
| Appearances | Minutes Played | Goals | Assists |
| 33 | 2469 | 10 | 2 |
It’s the prospect of losing him for this low price that is worrying Portsmouth fans more than anything else.
If Preston were to double their bid, Pompey could sell Lang and afford an adequate replacement. That’s the way it goes in football. More than anything else, the Fratton Faithful are worried about getting ripped off.
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