Portsmouth are weighing up a potential swoop for Blackburn Rovers defender Hayden Carter, according to a report from The News.
Whilst a permanent deal is not believed to be on the cards, Pompey could secure the 22-year-old's services on a temporary basis for the remainder of the 2021/22 campaign.
After being loaned out to Burton Albion last season, Carter would have been hoping to feature regularly for Blackburn during the current term.
However, due to the presence of Darragh Lenihan, Jan Paul van Hecke, Daniel Ayala and Scott Wharton, the centre-back has only managed to make nine appearances in the Championship.
Since participating in Blackburn's 7-0 defeat to Fulham in November, Carter has been left out of Blackburn's match-day squad for eight of their last nine league fixtures.
A minor injury issue resulted in Carter missing Rovers' FA Cup clash with Wigan Athletic last weekend.
In the defender's absence, Blackburn were eliminated from the competition by their League One opponents.
Portsmouth could be in the market for a new defender due to the fact that Paul Downing is closing in on sealing a move to Rochdale and thus Carter may fit the bill.
The Verdict
This may turn out to be a sensible bit of business by Portsmouth if they are able to convince Blackburn to part ways with Carter.
The defender made 24 appearances for Burton at this level last season and thus will be confident in his ability to hit the ground running at Fratton Park.
During his stint with the Brewers, Carter illustrated that he is more than capable of competing in the third-tier as he won 2.8 aerial duels per game and produced 4.6 clearances per fixture as he recorded a WhoScored match rating of 6.97 at this level.
If Carter goes on to deliver the goods on a consistent basis for Pompey, he could potentially help the club secure a top-six finish in League One.
The centre-back's arrival will also provide some added competition for the likes of Sean Raggett, Clark Robertson and Kieron Freeman who have all featured in this role in the current campaign.