On the first day of the new Championship season, Leeds United will host Portsmouth at Elland Road. The Whites haven’t faced Pompey in twelve years, and as the League One winners, John Mousinho’s team makes their second-tier debut, they should provide fierce competition.
In the Championship, the team from the south coast will want to start strong, and they will surely be excited about the chance to visit West Yorkshire and put the Whites to the test. Leeds will need to perform at the highest level from the beginning of the season, and as they formulate a strategy, they will be closely monitoring events at Portsmouth in the upcoming weeks..
With that in mind, here’s a look at what’s going on at Fratton Park with two deals being signed.
Pack pens new deal
Portsmouth’s captain, Marlon Pack, has made the decision to remain at Fratton Park for a further two years. Pack’s contract was set to expire this summer, but the team moved to secure his captaincy and ensure he would lead the team in the Championship.
The former Bristol City player has spent two seasons with Portsmouth, where he made 38 League One appearances and scored three goals last season, helping the team advance from the third division. Pack has played a large portion of his career in the Championship, and Portsmouth plans to make excellent use of his experience and skill set now that he is 33.
“It was crucial for us.” to get this deal done,” said Mousinho said of Pack’s new deal. “He lifted the League One trophy as captain and produced some strong performances in what was such a successful season for us.mMarlon is a vital part of what we’re trying to achieve moving forward in the Championship and so we’re delighted that he’s staying at the club.”
Swann signs
Reuben Swann, a midfielder for AFC Sudbury, has signed with Portsmouth. The 18-year-old has signed a two-year contract with the team, and the BBC reports that he will be sent out on loan for the duration of the campaign.
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Portsmouth will be hopeful that the young athlete can make the grade from Sudbury, who play in the English football seventh tier, to the upper flight. He joins Pompey as the team’s third summer acquisition, following Josh Murphy and Jordan Williams.
Regarding Swann, Mousinho told the club website, “Reuben’s an exciting young prospect.” We’re particularly interested to see how he performs in the preseason since he’s an all-action central midfielder with maturity beyond his years.
“The previous season, before Christmas, he came down to train with us. It gave us an opportunity to examine him closely, and we were quite impressed by him. He has also performed admirably for Sudbury.”
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