Conor Chaplin sends Portsmouth FC message - Ipswich Town transfer hint dropped? | OneFootball

The forward's return to Fratton Park on loan wasn't the smoothest of rides

Portsmouth's second season back in the Championship wasn't always the smoothest of rides for John Mousinho and his players, but the hard work in ensuring their divisional status had already been done prior to the final match of the season against Birmingham City.

Pompey have been one of the second tier's most in-form sides within recent weeks, having lost just one of their final six matches, which came against the champions, Coventry City, at the CBS Arena on April 21st.

It fully remains to be seen what the off-season and pre-season will look like for those at Fratton Park, with the aforementioned Mousinho becoming the subject of exit talk involving Championship rivals, Bristol City, even though the 40-year-old revealed his recent understanding of said events on local radio prior to the 1-1 draw against Birmingham on Saturday lunchtime.

With Adrian Segecic's eighth-minute strike cancelled out by August Priske's glancing header 11 minutes later, it was an entertaining draw to round off a campaign that has presented challenges for Pompey, particularly on the injury front and in terms of sourcing goals, even though they would end the season in 18th, four places and seven points in front of Oxford United, who were relegated on 47 points.

Mousinho has also recently had his say on the investment which Michael Eisner may need to put into the playing squad on this part of the South Coast if Portsmouth are to kick on towards the Championship's higher reaches over time, although that may be done without the services of Ipswich Town loanee, Conor Chaplin, whose emotional return to Pompey didn't always go to plan.

Conor Chaplin drops potential Portsmouth, Ipswich Town transfer hint in emotional social media message

Having previously scored 25 goals in 122 appearances for Portsmouth between 2014 and 2018, it was a major story when Chaplin's return to PO4 was confirmed on Deadline Day in September, having previously helped Ipswich achieve back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League under Kieran McKenna, before seeing his gametime reduced in the top-flight at Portman Road during Town's relegation season of 2024/25.

The 29-year-old made five appearances for his parent club before the loan was struck, before featuring in 36 Championship outings for Portsmouth, during which he only netted twice against West Bromwich Albion and Middlesbrough, with the latter proving crucial to the fortunes of both Ipswich and his temporary employers at the same time.

Chaplin played 69 minutes of Portsmouth's draw with Chris Davies' side this weekend, whilst Ipswich sealed their immediate return to the Premier League with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Queens Park Rangers.

And, with the season now over, the forward has potentially dropped a transfer hint within a social media message to the Fratton Park faithful which included videos from the customary lap of appreciation.

"This beautiful journey🎢 So grateful for the chance to come back," Chaplin said. "Not always a fairytale, and that’s ok!!!

"I feel what we achieved in the end, considering the circumstances, was actually an incredible effort," he added.

"Big big love @pompey 💙"

Conor Chaplin's future is now up in the air after Portsmouth loan spell

After helping Ipswich return to the Championship in 2023, Chaplin signed a three-year contract until this summer with the Tractor Boys, and with that yet to be extended, the striker's future remains up in the air.

To some, the wording of the aforementioned post may look like it is a farewell to Portsmouth, given that circumstances haven't exactly unfolded the way he would have wanted to in terms of overall contributions and fortune.

However, with 30 goals in 162 appearances overall at Championship level, Chaplin may still feel he has plenty to offer at this level, and his services could soon become available on a free transfer.