Portsmouth CEO Andrew Cullen is resigned to losing Gavin Bazunu at the end of the season unless Pompey are able to gain promotion to the Championship.
The Republic of Ireland stopper has been the form keeper in League One this season since joining the south coast side from Manchester City on loan in August.
Firhouse native Bazunu has kept 12 clean sheets in 30 league games - the joint best in the league - and Pompey boast the third best defensive record in the league.
Pompey’s poor output in front of goal has been their achilles heel and they sit in 11th place, ten points off the play-off spots, with 14 games remaining.
Should they make it into the top six by season’s end, they’ll owe a debt of gratitude to the former Shamrock Rovers custodian.
And Cullen admits that even promotion might not be enough to keep Bazunu - who he thinks may even secure a loan in the Premier League on the back of his prodigious form.
“We would love to keep Gavin Bazunu next season,” Cullen said at a recent fans’ conference.
“Unless we get there, then Gavin is highly likely to be in the Championship, maybe even the Premier League, either on a loan or as part of Manchester City’s squad.”
Portsmouth host fellow play-off chasers Accrington Stanley on Saturday afternoon before travelling to face bottom side Crewe Alexandra on Tuesday.
