'Rightly so' - Portsmouth defender's no-nonsense verdict on contract situation as 15 players face uncertain Fratton Park futures

Sean Raggett believes it’s only right that Pompey contract talks have been put on hold as the Blues focus on delivering a return to the Championship.

That’s despite the defender being one of 15 players whose current Fratton Park deals expire in the summer.

Speaking to The News last week, Pompey chief executive Andy Cullen said it would be ‘totally inappropriate’ to divert focus with promotion so tantalisingly close. And Raggett - who's made 233 appearances for the club during his five-season stay on the south coast - has the same opinion as he targets a maiden Football League title-winner’s medal.

When asked if there had been any talks centred on a new PO4 deal, the centre-back told BBC Solent: ‘No, nothing at all. I think, rightly so, everyone at the club and the players are just focused on getting promoted. All that side of things will come at the end of the season.’

He added: ‘I’ve not personally thought about it myself at all really. I’m a bit older now, I’m 30-years-old, so I have a bit more experience. You can sort of leave those things in the back of your mind and just get one with the job you’ve got at hand. Maybe when I was a bit younger I might have been thinking about it a little bit more but now it’s just full focus on getting promoted.’

Raggett has played a pivotal role for Pompey this season, despite accumulating just nine minutes of League One football by October 3. But after stepping in to fill the void left by Regan Poole’s season-ending injury at the start of November, the Fratton favourite has started 23 of Pompey’s past 24 league games and been a real pillar of strength in the Blues back line.

The former Norwich defender - who was linked with a move to hometown club Gillingham last summer - will make his 39th appearance of the season when John Mousinho’s table-toppers head to Wycombe on Friday (3pm kick-off). A win will move Pompey another huge step forward in their bid to play Championship football next season.

When asked if he would like to be part of the Blues’ plans in the second tier, Raggett responded: ‘Of course, it’s a huge club. Even in the Championship I think it’s a huge club, so of course it would be fantastic.’

Pompey head to Wycombe with a five-point advantage over second-place Derby. They are also nine points clear of third-placed Bolton with just seven games remaining.

Other players whose deals expire in June include Marlon Pack, Connor Ogilvie, Joe Morrell, Joe Rafferty and Zak Swanson. Pompey have held discussions over a new deal for young keeper Toby Steward - but he's currently not part of the Blues' promotion campaign.