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Pompey are one of seven Championship teams vying for the signature of 29 year old 5' 8" winger Josh Murphy, from Oxford United on a free transfer. Oxford are attempting to retain him by offering him a new contract.

He contributed six goals and four assists during the season for Oxford. His twin brother Jacob plays for Newcastle Utd in the Premier League.

 

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Colchester United have signed goalkeeper Matt Macey following his release by Portsmouth.

The 29-year-old is the first signing of the summer by U's boss Danny Cowley and has agreed an two-year contract.

 

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CJ Afumuzor

Pompey have agreed to sell two of their Academy starlets to Premier League clubs.

Goalkeeper Xander Grieves, who last season represented the Blues’ under-18s at the age of 14, is to join Wolves.

While highly-regarded midfielder 14 year old CJ Afumuzor, who spent eight years at Fratton Park, is being snapped up by Newcastle, despite interest from Aston Villa, Manchester Utd. and Brighton.

The duo will both fetch transfer fees, although, under the terms of the Premier League-driven Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP), Pompey are restricted to the amount they can receive.

These involve set figures, but it is understood the Blues have also negotiated future incentives should the pair’s fledgling careers continue to flourish.

Pompey’s Academy has struggled to provide players to the first-team in recent years, yet the sales of Grieves and Afumozor demonstrate there remains prodigious talent within the system.

In the case of Afumuzor, he is a local youngster and a Mayfield School pupil, while Grieves hails from Dorking and was recruited from Dorking Wanderers in May 2022.

Indeed, such has been Grieves’ rapid progress, he signed early scholarship forms for Pompey in October 2023 and in March made his debut for the Academy’s under-18s against Sutton United.

At the time, lead professional development phase coach Sam Hudson told Pompey’s official website: ‘We had a really young team - I’m not sure if we’ve had a 14-year-old starting between the sticks at this level before and it’s credit to the goalkeeping department that he was ready for that.‘Xander deserved it because of his performances in training and he’s highly thought of by the club.

‘We felt the opportunity was right to give him his first taste with us and the only disappointing thing is that he didn’t keep a clean sheet because he couldn’t do much about the one we conceded.’

Grieves, who totalled three under-18s outings last season, made his England under-15 debut in May, having previously attended several training camps after being identified as a player of immense potential.

 

Lapras, the following article from the Portsmouth News explains it all:-

The rich get richer and the poor get poorer - the perfect summary of the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP).

That’s the verdict of the FA scouting expert Neil Sillett after Premier League clubs Wolves and Newcastle swooped to recruit two highly-rated members of Pompey’s Academy.

Both will fetch transfer fees, although in accordance with EPPP regulations, Category 1 Academies are requested to pay modest set amounts - very much to the detriment of the selling club.

As a Category 3 Academy, Pompey have little power to fight off such approaches, particularly involving the lure of Premier League admirers.

Former Blues physio Sillett nowadays serves as the FA’s lead tutor for the certificate in national talent identification and scouting in football, involving annually lecturing on EPPP rules and regulations to more than 1,000 scouts or talent reporters at Category 1 Premier League Academies.

And he believes Pompey and fellow Category 3 clubs are unfortunately ‘wide open’ to having top young talent plucked.

He told The News: ‘There’s a term for it - the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. That’s the EPPP system for you in a nutshell.

‘You can’t protect what you’ve got because of the compensation rules. Clubs have to pay a minimum price, but if they want them that badly you must agree to a figure, otherwise it goes to compensation.

‘The sum depends on the amount of years the kid has been there as a registered Academy player. It only works out around £80-90,000, although might be more depending on what has been offered and how much they can say they’ve put into that player.

‘A club can say no, but there are two-year bands from age groups 12-14 and 14-16 - and then you are wide open and up liable for compensation. Almost like a Bosman.

‘You are reliant on loyalty from the families and the players, but players’ heads will also get turned from that interest, so it is absolutely pointless trying to fight that.

‘Most Category 3 Academies aren’t protected, while a Category 1 can’t buy from another Category 1 unless it’s a transfer, so they are hunting in the ocean. The big fish come looking for your little categories and will go and snap them up.

‘That’s why you need to up your category status because the higher your category, the more protected you are, which is ridiculous because it’s not a self-fulfilling prophecy. Category 2 is a little more protected, but not an awful lot.

 

Pompey announce their first signing !!

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Pompey have completed their first summer signing with the capture of defender Jordan Williams.

The 24-year-old right-back has signed a three-year deal after leaving Barnsley at the end of last season.

He had skippered his former side to the League One play-offs, where they were narrowly beaten over two legs by Bolton.

Blues boss John Mousinho said: “Jordan has plenty of experience already, despite his relatively young age, with a lot of games under his belt.

“A lot of those have been in the Championship and he’s captained Barnsley as well, so has those important leadership qualities.

Williams is a former England youth international who progressed through the ranks at Huddersfield before joining Barnsley in the summer of 2018.

He was part of the side that secured League One promotion that season before playing regularly in the Championship.

Williams made a total of 201 appearances for Barnsley – scoring nine goals – and started both of their meetings with Pompey last term.

 

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