“I’d be confident” – Portsmouth told to consider transfer swoops for Preston North End & Plymouth Argyle forwards.
This article is part of Football League World’s ‘Terrace Talk’ series, which features personal opinions from FLW Fan Pundits on breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings, and more.
Portsmouth FC will have been pleased with how their 2024/25 season unfolded following their promotion back to the Championship the year before.
Pompey spent 12 years in the Football League’s bottom two tiers before returning to the Championship and successfully consolidating their position.
After a five-match unbeaten streak, John Mousinho’s team avoided relegation with two games remaining in the season.
Mousinho and the club’s hierarchy will now focus on strengthening the squad in the summer so that it can push forward again next season.
Portsmouth instructed to make ambitious Emil Riis move.
Following a promising return to the Championship this season, Fratton Park is full of optimism as the summer approaches.
A successful summer transfer window could provide Mousinho with the necessary tools to increase the gap between Pompey and the bottom three in the upcoming season.
As is customary in the Championship, some promising names are currently without a club at the start of the summer.
We asked FLW’s resident Portsmouth fan pundit, Miltos Ioannidis, which free agent his club should chase this summer. He believes Mousinho should make a move for a player who recently left Preston North End, a club Pompey’s manager previously played for in the early 2010s.
Miltos said, “I have a couple of names that I believe would make good additions. For the first one, I think it’s a long shot, but Emil Riis, who recently left Preston.
“From what I’ve seen and heard, he can be a bit frustrating at times, but he’s also a quality player who can score.
“We’re looking for players who can compete with Colby Bishop, but I don’t think Riis would be satisfied as the number two option.
“I’ve heard good things, and in both games against us (this season), he was decent.”
Riis was Preston’s top scorer with 12 league goals, but was released by the club due to a lack of agreement on new terms.
| Emil Riis’s Preston North End Championship Stats (As per Fotmob) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Apps | Goals | Assists |
| 2024/25 | 45 | 12 | 2 |
| 2023/24 | 21 | 6 | 2 |
| 2022/23 | 24 | 5 | – |
| 2021/22 | 44 | 16 | 5 |
| 2020/21 | 38 | 2 | 1 |
| Total | 172 | 41 | 10 |
Sheffield United, led by Chris Wilder, expressed interest in signing the 26-year-old in January. If their interest is renewed this summer, Portsmouth will face challenges in completing a deal.
Mustapha Bundu may be a more realistic Portsmouth target after Plymouth Argyle’s departure.
With multiple clubs expressing interest in Riis, Portsmouth should consider other options to strengthen their front line.
Miltos believes Plymouth Argyle’s Mustapha Bundu could be a viable alternative if the Dane is not interested in a move to the South Coast.
Pompey’s Greek fan went on: “That argument with Bishop leads me to my second player, Mustapha Bundu from Plymouth. He scored double digits for a poor Plymouth team and can play wide or through the middle.
“I believe he mostly played on the right wing last season, and that’s another position where we’d like to bring someone in.
“We need to find someone who can complement the attacking players we already have, and I believe he would be an excellent addition.
“There will obviously be a lot of interest in both, including from abroad as well, I’d imagine, but I’d be confident in either of them if they were to come down to the South Coast.”
Bundu’s agent recently revealed his desire to leave the club, despite Plymouth’s offer to extend his contract.
The attacker contributed 10 goals and six assists for the Pilgrims, but they were unable to avoid relegation. After such a promising season with a struggling team, the opportunity to showcase his abilities in a slightly stronger Championship side would undoubtedly be appealing to the 28-year-old.
If Portsmouth is unable to acquire Riis, Bundu could be a very wise alternative.
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