Manager issues update on contract status of Portsmouth 'target' amid verdict on controversial Bolton goal

Portsmouth now have their feet up following a fantastic season that saw them win the league and avoid any risk of competing in the playoffs. Pompey enjoyed celebrations aplenty, and it’s now time for their players to enjoy some hard-earned time off ahead o next season’s step up.

There will need to be significant recruitment ahead of next season’s Championship campaign, but there will be some time to bask in the promotion glory before then. Here we have rounded up all the latest news surrounding Portsmouth and their League One rivals.

Evans latest

Portsmouth are said to be interested in a deal to sign Bristol Rovers star Antony Evans ahead of next season. Evans is out of contract in 2025, and Rovers boss Matty Taylor has issued an update on talks over a new deal.

"We’re talking about it now throughout the course of the season,” he said. “Those discussions and offers have gone out so that’s happened. We’re not naive enough to let a player who’s your best player go into the last year of the deal without even having a conversation. So, as with everything else football-related, I think we’ll learn a lot about each other in the next eight weeks.

"We want Antony to be here. I think it’s important to say that he didn’t start the season in the team and that’s not my doing, he worked his way back into the team and has then been consistent and then to get all of those awards, it’s a bit like Chris Martin. Probably our two best and biggest performers didn’t start the season either at the club or in the team which is surreal to say.

"Credit to them both for seeing through a difficult moment and then producing and that’s what football is. It’s about producing performances and, whether it’s Chris’ goals or Antony’s goals and assists, they’ve just been consistent in relation to that and we hope that that continues for a long time."

Davies on Bolton goal

Sky Sports pundit Curtis Davies issued his verdict on a controversial goal Bolton scored against Barnsley in their 3-1 playoff semi-final win on Friday night. “Cameron Jerome does exactly what he does, he kind of stands in that hole and engages the keeper,” said Davies.

“The keeper is happy to try and wrestle Jerome. He doesn’t try to move away from him or make Cameron move towards him so it looks he is making a deliberate move that would allow the ref to give the foul. Ultimately, I think that is one that the referee did need to give. I am more disappointed with the front post.

“In these situations, especially with the in-swinger, the man on the front post should not move. Williams takes a slight step forward and it just goes over his head. It is good technique from Randell Williams to actually get it on target, but I think Williams at the front post needs to do better with that because then the keeper doesn’t have a problem at all.”