Portsmouth winger Anthony Scully has been told he is surplus to requirements and free to leave Fratton Park according to Portsmouth News.
Pompey have been preparing their squad for their first Championship campaign since 2012 and there is seemingly no place for the 25-year-old who has been made available for transfer away from the club.
Scully has a year remaining on his contract and John Mousinho’s side are clearly keen to cash in on the player rather than let him go on a free next summer. The Irishman didn’t make the squad for his side’s pre-season friendly against MK Dons on Tuesday and head coach Mousinho believes a move this window is best for both parties.
He said, “We’ve had a look at everything pre-season and maybe it’s a good time for both parties to shake hands and part ways if we can find something which is mutually agreeable.
“He’s still training with us, just didn’t travel with us. He wasn’t going to get the minutes, so there was no point in him travelling.
“Everything is amicable and we’ll try to find the best thing, it might be another club.”
Scully has struggled with injuries in recent times, which has seen his career somewhat stagnate as he approaches his peak years.
Watford-born Scully came through the academy at Premier League outfit West Ham United, failing to make an appearance before moving to Lincoln City. He enjoyed the best years of his career thus far at the LNER Stadium, recording 37 goals in 106 games and playing a part in their run to the League One play-off final in 2021.
A move up a division to Wigan Athletic came in 2022 but Scully failed to hit the same heights in Lancashire, playing only five times in a single season. Scully has faced similar struggles at Pompey, making just nine appearances, and a move now seems the only option as both clubs move forward.
Writer’s View
This seems the best move for both sides. If Scully couldn’t get a game in the League One-winning season then he definitely won’t in the Championship, and at 25 he won’t want another season of not being picked. A move down a division looks inevitable as he looks to regain the form he had at Lincoln City, and a restart may be what is needed.
As for Portsmouth, they need a squad where all players can contribute at second-tier level as they look to stay up, and reinforcements are needed. Scully looks to be a casualty of that, and it’s unlikely he’ll be at Fratton Park much longer.
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