Last season’s FA Cup winners will be looking to build on their recent successes and consolidate their position as one of the team’s who might challenge the dominance of the top four. Portsmouth have had a meteoric rise in recent years. Under Harry Redknapp they have developed from relegation battlers to contenders for European football in a relatively quick period of time. Redknapp will hope that this year they can do even better.

It has been a busy summer at Fratton Park with plenty of transfer activity. The club have broken their transfer record with the £11 Million acquisition of Liverpool striker Peter Crouch. He returns to the club after a previously successful spell there in 2002. Redknapp has also signed Tottenham Hotspurs defender Younes Kaboul for a fee of £5 Million. Kaboul had a disappointing first season in England last year and will be looking to impress at Fratton Park this time around.

Reading midfielder Glen Little was a surprise signing, but he joins on a free transfer and Chelsea youngster Ben Sahar has signed on a season long loan deal.

There have been a number of notable departures from Portsmouth this summer. The biggest deal involved Sulley Muntari, who has joined Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan for a reported £12.75 Million fee. The Ghanaian was an important part of the team last season and scored some vital goals, so he will need to be replaced. Redknapp has also allowed striker Milan Baros to return to Lyon after an unspectacular loan spell ended in May. Finally, Portuguese midfielder Pedro Mendes has been allowed to leave the club. He has signed for Glasgow Rangers for around £3 Million.

The Portsmouth supporters have seen their team enjoy two years of wonderful success under Harry Redknapp and the FA Cup victory in May is something that many did not expect to ever see. Nonetheless the aim in the new season will be to maintain the current level and possibly improve even more. The prospect of UEFA Cup football will provide further excitement and with the acquisition of Crouch the fans are sure to witness another entertaining season this time around.