Portsmouth have been handed a boost as forward Ronan Curtis appears to have indicated he is staying at Fratton Park for the foreseeable future, as reported by the Irish Mirror.

He is one of the big-name stars that could have departed following their failure to secure a place in the Championship, but he’s seemingly not the subject of interest at the moment.

Curtis was one of the stars of the season for Pompey, certainly in the early exchanges. He bagged 11 goals and added eight assists following a summer move from Derry City, even being linked with a move to Leeds United during the season.

A freak injury at the tail end of the campaign saw him miss a couple of months of action and upon his return, he looked short of fitness. That doesn’t take away from his ability though and he’s sure to be a key player for Pompey next season.

It’s one reason why they must hang on to him over the summer. A mass exodus would be highly damaging to Kenny Jackett, losing one or two players is perhaps something they can manage, but if that runs into three or four then it becomes a big problem.

Also, they must keep hold of their creative influences, or at the very least one of them. Curtis has that impetus going forward to create something, that spark of genius that can lead to a goal or a chance for another player. He shares that responsibility with Jamal Lowe, but if he bags a move then it will all fall onto the Irishman’s shoulders.

Much of Portsmouth’s approach has been functional this season, they remain tight at the back, have forwards who can hold the ball up and a midfield pairing that anchors the rest of the team. Everything they do positive is created by the bank of three behind the lone striker and Jackett is unlikely to change that next season.

That’s why, with it being the key area of the field, they must keep Curtis on board. He can play centrally or out wide and he’s used to the system and the players around him.

News that he’s likely to remain at the club will be welcomed, although the real test is if he is still wearing Portsmouth blue come the big kick off. Achieve that and they might be back up there challenging this coming season.