Portsmouth chief on granting one contract exception as 15 players wait to learn Fratton Park futures

Andy Cullen insists Toby Steward remains a special case as Pompey grant an exception to their contract stance.

Despite the deals of 15 players expiring this summer, all negotiations with first-team members are on hold until the culmination of the season.

However, the Blues are close to finalising a new contract for the highly-regarded Steward.

The 19-year-old goalkeeper, who has yet to feature for the first-team, is a player of rich promise, prompting Pompey to move early to secure his Fratton Park future.

And Cullen believes retaining one of their rising talents reflects the club’s ‘overall strategy’ toward young players.

Pompey’s chief executive told The News: ‘Obviously Toby isn’t a regular member of the first-team squad at the moment.

‘He’s a talented young player and is very much part of what we are trying to do with our overall strategy.

‘Whether players are developed through the Academy or those we have identified coming through, we’ve been able to do that with a number of them this season.

‘We started that work in January 2023, with Paddy Lane and Ryley Towler coming into the team, and continued that over the summer with other young talent coming through, such as Christian Saydee and Terry Devlin.

‘Everybody forgets that a lot of these players are still under-23s, so are really, really strong coming into the club.’

Those out of contract this summer are Marlon Pack, Joe Morrell, Sean Raggett, Joe Rafferty, Connor Ogilvie and Zak Swanson.

Others are Lee Evans, Liam Vincent, Haji Mnoga, Harry Jewitt-White, Josh Martin, Matt Macey, Ryan Schofield, Josh Dockerill and Steward.

Steward has impressed during a season-long loan under joint-head coaches Pat Suraci and Joe Lea at Gosport.

Borough are presently placed second in Southern League Premier South, with the goalkeeper making in excess of 40 appearances so far.

Cullen added: ‘We’re really, really pleased with the progress Toby’s made. For him, this season was to get regular match action and he’s been able to achieve that at Gosport, who are having a really good season themselves.

‘Gosport will be looking at their own opportunities and what they can achieve in these last few weeks of the season. For Toby to be part of that, feeling the pressure, will be good for his long-term development.

‘We are really, really pleased with the progress he has made this year.’