Portsmouth are ready to do all they can to land Hayden Carter on a permanent deal this summer – believing a fee of around £500,000 would be enough to sign the Rovers defender.

Carter starred during a loan spell at Fratton Park, with 22 consecutive starts following a January loan move, and Pompey have made no secret of their desire to re-sign the defender for next season.

The League One side believe a fee in the region of £500,000 would be enough to make that happen on a permanent basis, though Rovers won’t be rushing into any decision with the 22-year-old.

Carter signed a new three-year contract at the start of the season, and has now twice starred during loan spells in League One having done likewise with Burton Albion last season.

The defender has made clear his aims to push for a first-team place in the Championship with Rovers, though did state a return to Portsmouth would be high on his list should he become available.

Carter still has two years to run on his deal at Rovers and is highly thought of, making his debut in July 2020 and eight appearances at the start of the season.

Tony Mowbray felt Carter needed to gain more experience out on loan, something he has done with both Burton Albion and Pompey.

Having done so, Carter feels ready for the challenge of regular first-team football at Rovers, and will look to follow in the footsteps of Scott Wharton who made his breakthrough last season after several loan spells and started every game since returning from a long lay-off with an Achilles issue in November.

Wharton's return to fitness, along with Jan Paul van Hecke, saw Rovers allow Carter to leave on loan in January after being on the fringes of the first-team set-up at the start of the season.

Carter’s prospects of having more of an impact next term will depend on several factors, not least the assessment of Rovers’ next manager.

There is too the future of captain Darragh Lenihan to be decided, while Daniel Ayala and Wharton are senior centre halves already contracted for next season. 

Pompey appear willing to play the waiting game in a bid to get Carter back however, and would settle for another loan should their hopes of a permanent move not materialise.

Carter is currently enjoying some time off before reporting back for pre-season training with Rovers next month.

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