Portsmouth remain well in the hunt for one of the final play-off positions in League One but they have suffered a dip in form at just the wrong time after a strong start under Danny Cowley.

A run of four successive wins in his first four games in charge of the club had propelled Cowley’s Portsmouth right back into the top-six. It had looked like Pompey could potentially enjoy an excellent ending to the campaign and enter the play-offs with real momentum and belief behind them. However, one point from the next three has dampened those hopes.

It is now going to be a real struggle for them to make the top-six and there will not be much more room left for error if they are going to be able force their way into the play-offs. Whatever league they happen to be playing in next term, Portsmouth need a strong summer window in order to help the club move forwards.

With that in mind, we have put together a list of eight players who either are or should be on their transfer radar heading into the summer…

One player that Portsmouth could potentially be lining up a move for in the summer transfer window is Swindon Town’s playmaker Jack Payne.

It is believed by Football League world that the attacker has emerged on Portsmouth’s radar with him having a relegation clause in his contract that would come into effect were the club to suffer relegation from League One this term. That has seen Pompey take note and they are monitoring his situation ahead of a potential move for him in the summer.

Portsmouth will be set to face some competition for his signature in the summer, with the likes of Doncaster Rovers and MK Dons also believed to be interested in him. While The Sun have linked Championship promotion-chasers Barnsley with a potential move for him as well.

Another player that is thought to have emerged on Portsmouth’s potential radar ahead of the summer transfer window is defender George Johnston.

Johnston has been enjoying a promising loan spell with Wigan Athletic during the second half of the campaign in League One, helping the Latics record six clean sheets in his 18 league appearances. That form has alerted both Portsmouth and Ipswich Town to the defender and they are thought to be weighing up a move to take him from parent club Feyenoord in the summer.

The 22-year-old is at the age now where he needs to be playing regular first-team football and Pompey could offer him that next term. It will not be easy to secure his signature amid interest from other clubs, but they should have a good chance if they make a move for him.

Someone else who has emerged as one of the players that Portsmouth are potentially interested in bringing to Fratton Park in the summer is St Johnstone forward Guy Melamed.

Melamed has been able to enjoy an excellent campaign in Scotland with St Johnstone this season and he has fired in five goals 15 appearances in the league so far. However, he only signed a one-year deal with the club last summer and so is heading into the summer at out of contract as things stand. That has alerted the likes of Portsmouth, Ipswich Town and Sunderland to his situation.

His manager at St Johnstone, Callum Davidson has insisted that he wants to try and keep hold of the forward and offer him a new deal. However, as of yet no new contract has been signed and if that remains the case then Pompey could potentially make a move for him.

The fourth player that Portsmouth could be set to target a summer move for is Tranmere Rovers forward Otis Khan with him also emerging on the club’s radar.

Khan has been an impressive performer in his first season with Tranmere following his move from Mansfield Town last summer and he has managed to fire in two goals in his 31 League Two appearances. The 25-year-old though is out of contract in the summer having only signed a one-year deal at the fourth-tier side.

It is believed by Football League World that has altered Portsmouth and the likes of Sunderland and Preston North End to his potential availability. Again, this one might not be an easy one to pull off, but Pompey should be well placed to make this happen if they go up.

One player who Portsmouth could potentially revive their interest in during the summer transfer window is promising midfielder Nnamdi Ofoborh.

Pompey alongside the likes of Rotherham United, Sheffield Wednesday, Lincoln City and Charlton Athletic were linked with a potential loan move for Ofoborh in the winter window. However, the 21-year-old went onto join Wycombe Wanderers on loan until the end of the campaign and then signed a with Rang pre-contract agreementers taking him there from Bournemouth in the summer.

If Rangers decide that the midfielder could do with another loan spell next season, then Portsmouth could potentially look to make another attempt at bringing him to Fratton Park. Their chances of getting that sort of arrangement through would be helped by them earning promotion if they can.

Continuing with the theme of players Portsmouth could potentially look to rekindled interest in in the summer transfer window is Birmingham City defender Steve Seddon.

The defender had emerged once again on Portsmouth’s radar during the winter window with Pompey having been impressed by Seddon during his loan spell with the club last season. However, in the end, Pompey were unable to convince Birmingham to allow him to leave on loan again after he returned from a spell with AFC Wimbledon.

Seddon is set to be out of contract at Birmingham in the summer though, and is at the age now where he needs to be getting regular game time. That is something that Pompey could potentially offer him if they were able to sort out a contract with him at the end of the campaign.

Portsmouth could also potentially look to make another attempt at bringing Millwall midfielder Ben Thompson back to Fratton Park during the summer transfer window.

Thompson was once again a player that Portsmouth were keen on bringing into Fratton Park in the January transfer window, with Pompey having been keen to try and bring him in again after he had enjoyed an impressive loan spell with them in 2018/19. However, Gary Rowett revealed that he was going to be staying with the Lions until the end of the campaign.

Pompey would need to try and convince the midfielder that he is better off with them where he can regular first-team football if they are to get him to sign in the summer. However, he did get himself back in the Millwall side a few months ago before an injury. So, it will not be an easy move to get done.

One player who is set to be out of contract in the summer, but who Portsmouth could look to agree a new deal with is experienced defender Charlie Daniels.

Daniels has managed to be a strong performer for Pompey since he signed a short-term deal with the club in the winter window. The former Bournemouth defender has managed to score two goals and provide two assists in his 27 league appearances so far. He recently suggested he would allow the club time to assess his future at the end of the campaign.

It seems a bit of a no brainer to extend Daniels deal if only just for another season, he has more than earned that and even if he was not a regular starter, not that there is any reason to suggest he would not be, his experience would be invaluable around the dressing room.