Portsmouth have opted against keeping hold of goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray this summer and he is set to depart the club, according to The Sun on Sunday (16/04/2021, p59).

MacGillivray’s current deal with Portsmouth was set to come to an end in the summer, but Pompey did have the option to extend the keeper’s deal by a further 12-months to keep him at Fratton Park.

The 28-year-old has managed to be an ever-present for them in goal in League One this term and he managed to record 15 clean sheets in his 46 appearances, but did concede 1.1 goals per game.

Danny Cowley has had to make some major decisions over the long-term futures of a few players, as he looks to build a squad capable of challenging for promotion to the Championship next term after they just missed out on a place in the League One play-offs this season.

It is being reported by The Sun on Sunday (16/04/2021, p59), that Cowley has decided not to offer the keeper another 12-months at Fratton Park and that means that he will likely now have to go into the transfer market and try and bring in a replacement for the 28-year-old.

MacGillivray had previously been linked with a potential move to Birmingham City and Huddersfield Town.

The Verdict:

This decision shows that Cowley is preparing to be ruthless with the changes that he makes to the Portsmouth squad this summer. The Pompey manager needs to get his recruitment decisions spot on this window if he is going to be able to get the club into a position where they can avoid missing out on promotion like they have been doing in the last few years.

MacGillivray has been a decent enough performer for Portsmouth during his time with the club, and at one stage was performing well enough to have been linked with a move to the Championship. However, Cowley has clearly been left unconvinced by his form and therefore has decided that he needs a new number one at the club for next term.

The 28-year-old should not be short of potential suitors with him being available on a free transfer. You would not be surprised to see him move to another club towards the top end of League One or maybe even the Championship after previous links.