3 free agents Portsmouth FC must consider amid defender injury crisis | OneFootball

The club are down to the bare bones in the hub of their defence.

Portsmouth are currently undergoing a defensive injury crisis, with Hayden Matthews out for the season and Rob Atkinson facing up to eight weeks out.

With Conor Shaughnessy and Ibane Bowat also long-term absentees, Regan Poole and Ryley Towler remain as the only fit natural centre-backs at John Mousinho's disposal.

The club have done incredibly well to rise to 17th in the Championship table and have an eight-point gap on 22nd-placed Luton Town, but will not want to slip back down the table.

Given that Pompey are exploring the free agent market, FLW takes a look at three free agents that the club should consider to strengthen their backline.

James Tomkins

If the South Coast outfit are considering adding experience to their defensive unit, then James Tomkins should be at the top of their list.

The 35-year-old has just under 300 Premier League appearances to his name and has played against some of the world's best strikers during stints with Crystal Palace and West Ham United.

Tomkins left Palace last year when his contract expired and has been without a club since but is yet to retire from the game, meaning he believes he still has something to offer.

A Premier League move is unlikely for the defender and a short-term move to Fratton Park would give him the platform to showcase his ability.

Nathan Ferguson

Another former Palace man who should be under consideration is Nathan Ferguson, who also left Selhurst Park last year when his contract came to an end.

One factor that will stand against Ferguson is his injury record, with the 24-year-old's spell in South East London being plagued by injuries.

Ferguson impressed in the Championship with West Bromwich Albion prior to his free transfer to Selhurst Park and has something to prove at that level.

Pompey will be conscious that the last thing they need is another injured player, but they could be tempted to acquire a player who has long-term potential.

Dan Potts

Similarly to Tomkins, Dan Potts fits the bill in terms of experience and has made just under 100 Championship appearances during spells with Luton Town and West Ham United.

During the 2013/14 season, Potts spent a month on loan with Portsmouth where he made five appearances for the club in League Two.

The 30-year-old spent the first half of this season with League One side Charlton Athletic but only made three appearances before departing the club in January.

The Championship may be a step too high for Potts, but Mousinho's side are desperate for numbers and leadership, which Potts would provide.

With 11 games of the campaign remaining, Pompey will need to do all they can to secure their survival in the second tier of English football.

The significant factor that threatens to thwart them is their injury crisis in defence and the free agent market is the obvious solution to this issue.