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Portsmouth FC defender tipped for Fratton Park exit in 2025 on one condition
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This article is part of Football League World’s ‘Terrace Talk’ series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Portsmouth defender Ryley Towler has been tipped to leave Portsmouth on loan in January in the search of regular playing time.
Towler has a handful of Championship appearances under his belt for Pompey this season, all of which came in the opening weeks of the season, and he’s been an unused substitute for John Mousinho’s side in recent weeks.
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The 22-year-old centre-back was signed from Bristol City in January 2023 but has never been able to nail down a consistent place in the starting XI other than in his first couple of months at the club, and he played just six games as Pompey won the League One title last season.
Given his lack of game time this season, coupled with his lack of football in general over the last 18 months or so, Mousinho has been told to send the 22-year-old on loan in January, providing Pompey have adequate defensive cover.
Portsmouth told to send Ryley Towler on loan in January
Championship – Portsmouth v Oxford United
We asked our Portsmouth fan pundit, Miltos Ioannidis, if there was a player currently at the club who should be loaned out in January, and he believes that Towler should be sent on loan to get regular minutes under his belt.
Speaking to Football League World, Miltos said: “On the condition that we are well-stocked in this position come January, I think Ryley Towler could really benefit from a loan.
“We’ve all seen the kind of player that he can be on his day, and he already has a few Championship appearances under his belt, which is really nice.
“It’s just now about him getting more consistent game time, which unfortunately, he may not be able to get at Pompey, so I think, providing that we are well-stocked in the defensive department in January, it would be a good idea to send Ryley Towler out on loan.
“Maybe to a League One club, let him get some minutes, let him get some game time and I think that it will do him the world of good, and he’ll come back as a more complete player than he is now.”
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Across his spells with Bristol City, Portsmouth and loan spells with Grimsby and AFC Wimbledon, Towler has played just 79 games of professional senior football, and spending the rest of the season sitting on the bench won’t do him much good.
In a position like centre-back, Towler needs to play regular football, and it’s only then that he will improve and become the player that he is capable of becoming. Sitting on the bench could stunt his development, and playing 20 plus games on loan during the second half of the season would ensure he returns to Fratton Park a better player, ready to push for a starting berth.
Ryley Towler’s senior career – Transfermarkt
Club
Seasons
Appearances
Bristol City
2019-23
5
Froome Town (Loan)
2019
2
Taunton Town (Loan)
2020
5
Grimsby Town (Loan)
2021
14
AFC Wimbledon (Loan)
2022-23
24
Portsmouth
2023-
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While he may not have played all too often during Pompey’s title-winning campaign last season, he still has 26 League One appearances under his belt, and it’s likely that there would be plenty of clubs keen to sign him on loan should he become available.
Mousinho will be aware that Towler needs regular game time, but the decision to sanction any loan deal will come down to whether Pompey have sufficient defensive cover, with the 22-year-old being included in every single matchday squad this season.