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The Ipswich Town forward has returned to Fratton Park on loan for the remainder of the season

Lee Hendrie isn't surprised that Ipswich Town forward Conor Chaplin has sealed a return to Portsmouth for the remainder of the Championship season.

Ipswich and Pompey are expected, by many onlookers, to achieve a contrasting set of objectives by the time the second-tier campaign concludes in eight months time, and that has also been showcased by the transfer business conducted at Fratton Park and at Portman Road.

Kieran McKenna's side lost several key performers from their solitary Premier League season last time out and have since looked to add further depth, quality and potential in a bid to make a swift return to the top-flight, which included the breaking of the Championship transfer record as 19-year-old, Sindre Walle Egeli, moved from Danish Superliga outfit FC Nordsjaelland for £17.5m.

John Mousinho's outfit are also expected to progress up the second-tier in the coming weeks and months after consolidating back in the division for the first time since 2011/12 last term, and have bolstered their attacking forces with a handful of experienced and high-potential incomings, as well as retaining the services of Josh Murphy who posted 14 assists last term.

However, the biggest talking point at Fratton Park over the course of the summer came on Deadline Day when Chaplin returned to his boyhood club on loan, despite being heavily involved in the opening month of Ipswich's campaign.

A reunion between Pompey and the attacker comes at a time when both the club and player have grown significantly in recent years, with Chaplin also making a plethora of appearances for McKenna's outfit in the Premier League after playing an integral role in their back-to-back promotion campaigns which started in League One.

The Worthing-born man previously netted 25 times in 122 appearances for the Blues during their spell in League Two and a solitary campaign in League One before moving to Coventry City in August 2018.

Chaplin made his first league start for Ipswich in last Saturday's 2-2 draw with Derby County at Portman Road and came on as a substitute in prior encounters with Birmingham City, Southampton and Preston North End, as well as being named captain in the EFL Cup defeat at Bromley.

Despite registering 22 goal contributions in Town's promotion-winning season of 2023/24, Hendrie isn't surprised the 28-year-old has made the switch across the division, especially when taking Ipswich's incomings across the summer into account.

"I think he's looked at it himself, and having watched Ipswich and seeing the players they've brought in in the attacking areas, I'm not really surprised that he has left," the former Aston Villa midfielder exclusively told Football League World.

"I think he's looked at it and found himself in a situation where he's probably not going to get as much gametime as what he thinks.

"To leave and go to Portsmouth gives him an opportunity to go and show his skills elsewhere, otherwise I don't think he'd have got as many minutes at Ipswich with all the squad depth they have," Hendrie claimed.

Conor Chaplin and Portsmouth will benefit from Ipswich Town loan agreement

As Hendrie mentioned, Chaplin's minutes had already been reduced in the early weeks of the season, and they could have taken an even greater hit going into a crucial four-month period of the season.

Therefore, this is a loan move which clearly benefits all involved, as the homegrown product provides Pompey with even more experience and firepower in attacking areas to supplement Colby Bishop, who took to the Championship like a duck to water last season following his return from heart surgery.

The sentimental aspects of the deal will also come into play, as Chaplin already has the fans onside from his previous spell, and he has only gone from strength-to-strength in the past eight years, scoring 28 times and registering a further 16 assists in 126 second-tier appearances.

His contract at Portman Road also expires next summer, meaning this temporary exit could also open the door for Portsmouth to sign the forward on a permanent basis should he have the anticipated impact.