Former Reading midfielder makes bold Portsmouth prediction ahead of latest League One campaign that will see Barnsley, Derby, Bolton & Co battle for promotion

That’s the verdict of former Reading and AFC Wimbledon midfielder Jobi McAnuff, who believes the Blues will be a ‘real good team to watch’ over the course of the 2023-24 campaign.

Now a pundit on Sky Sports, the 41-year-old has been impressed by recent developments at Fratton Park.

That includes the appointment of head coach John Mousinho in January and the form the Blues displayed under the former Oxford United defender over the second half of the season, when they lost just four games from 23 matches played.

It also includes the business the Fratton Park outfit have completed in the first 10 days of the transfer window, with six new signings already through the door.

That gives Pompey the perfect opportunity to bed their new faces into the squad ahead of their season-opener against Bristol Rovers on August 5.

As a result, McAnuff is excited by what lies ahead at Fratton Park following last season’s eighth-placed finished.

When asked by Sky Sports which League One side he’s most looking forward to watching this season, he replied: ‘League One, I’m going to go for Portsmouth. A club with huge backing (and they had) a positive end to last year with John Mousinho coming in.

‘They’ve done some business early on, which I think is really, really important.

‘He (Mousinho) has spoken about being able to really bed in some of those principles and things that he wants to do with that squad as they go in for pre-season.

‘I think they're going to be a real good team to watch this year.’

The Pompey players return for pre-season training on Monday, with Will Naylor, Conor Shaughnessy, Christian Saydee, Terry Devlin, Anthony Scully and Ben Stevenson their six new signings to date.