A permanent move for Hayden Carter has been ruled ‘relatively unlikely’ by Portsmouth’s chief executive who says Rovers have ‘big plans’ for the defender.

Pompey boss Danny Cowley has made Carter one of his top targets for this summer after the Rovers defender impressed during a half season loan at Fratton Park.

He made 22 successive starts for Pompey as they fell short of their quest to reach the League One play-offs, becoming a hit with manager and supporters alike.

Pompey have made their intention clear that a return for the 22-year-old is a top priority for the summer window, with the suggestion on the south coast being that £500,000 could be enough to land him on a permanent deal.

Carter himself said he would be open to a return to the club, but his focus would be on a pre-season with Rovers as he looks to establish himself in the first-team set-up having made eight appearances at the start of the season.

Availability of other central defenders saw Rovers allow Carter to leave on loan for a second successive January, having also impressed at Burton Albion last season, but not before handing him a new three-year contract, seeing him as part of the club’s future moving forward.

So while Pompey are keen to make a move for Carter this summer, CEO Andy Cullen told the BBC that a move appeared unlikely at this stage.

He said: “Hayden is a player that everyone would love to have back at Fratton Park, not just myself and Danny, but the supporters as well.

“We’re in a situation with Blackburn where we were very grateful to them for entrusting the next stage of Hayden’s development with us in the second half of last season.

“I know they have big plans for him at Ewood Park and at the minute see him as a big part of their team going forward next year.

“They don’t even have a manager at the minute, so that has to play out.

“When we signed him, it was very much on the basis that this was a precursor to him being a big part of Blackburn’s plans going forward.

“We’ll continue to monitor that one and if there’s any chance of us having Hayden back then we’d love to have him again here next season.

“If we could do a permanent then fantastic, but I think that’s relatively unlikely given Blackburn’s plans for him.”

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