'I wouldn't be surprised' - Prediction made on Portsmouth duo whose Fratton Park careers hang in balance ahead of Championship return

Have Pompey fans seen the last of Joe Morrell and Zak Swanson with the star & crescent on their chests at Fratton Park?

Probably - if the honesy thoughts of our senior Blues writer Jordan Cross are anything to go by.

He believes Pompey’s decision not to take up options on the out-of-contract duo is significant - and a decision that will more than likely see both say goodbye to the Fratton faithful.

Last week the Blues published their retained list following the conclusion of their 2023-24 League One title-winning season. Among the 10 players who will depart PO4 upon the expiry of their existing deals are Joe Rafferty, Sean Raggett, Matt Macey and Lee Evans. 

The club revealed that both Marlon Pack and Connor Ogilvie had been offered new deals to extend their south-coast stays. But the names of Morrell and Swanson appeared under a ‘In negotiations’ category after the Blues decided not to trigger 12-month extensions to their existing stays.

That will have come as a huge blow to both players, with the club prepared to keep them on fresh terms more to their liking as equally hard to take. According to Cross, that stance will have consequences and points to one thing - their likely departures.

Speaking on the latest episode of Pompey Talk, the Pompey writer was ‘put on the spot’ when the subject of Morrell and Swanson’s futures was put to him. He reluctantly predicted: ‘I think Zak Swanson, in my heart of hearts, will more than likely go elsewhere.

‘Joe Morrell, with what he could earn (elesewhere) - yeah, I wouldn’t be surprised if neither of them are here next season, if I’m honest.

‘To not take up options and then to renegotiate, (you have to wonder) how they would feel about that. That obviously puts a big question mark over of them.

‘Joe, we’ll see what happens with that one a bit more so because, obviously, he can perform at Championship level. Both of them can perform at Championship level, but I’m just trying to get a bit more of a read on Joe, and I can’t totally commit to that one, but gun to my head, I think they’ll both go.

‘When a situation evolves like that, there’s probably a good chance the player moves on.’

If Cross is proved right, then Wales midfielder Morrell will exit after three seasons and 105 games for the Blues following his move from Luton in 2021. Swanson has made 44 Pompey appearances after arriving for an undisclosed fee from Arsenal in the summer of 2022. Both missed large chunks of the club’s League One success due to injury.