Connor Ogilvie Set to Miss the Start of Portsmouth’s 2026–27 Season After Undergoing Knee Surgery
Portsmouth have suffered an early setback ahead of the 2026–27 campaign, with experienced defender Connor Ogilvie expected to miss the opening weeks of the season after undergoing knee surgery.
Manager John Mousinho confirmed that the 30-year-old was absent from the club’s week-long pre-season training camp in Ireland because he remained in England to undergo an operation on Tuesday. The defender has reportedly been managing the knee problem since the closing stages of last season, and after medical consultations, surgery was deemed the best course of action.
Although it has not been confirmed whether this is the same knee injury that sidelined Ogilvie for approximately nine weeks between November and January during the previous campaign, the procedure is expected to keep him out of action for around four to six weeks.
The timing of the injury means Ogilvie is highly unlikely to feature in Portsmouth’s opening fixtures of the new season. Pompey begin their competitive schedule with a first-round Carabao Cup clash against West Ham on August 8 before kicking off their Championship campaign at home against Queens Park Rangers on August 15. According to Mousinho, the defender is not expected to recover in time for either match and is instead targeting a return a few weeks after the season gets underway.
In addition to missing those important fixtures, Ogilvie will also be unavailable for the remainder of Portsmouth’s pre-season preparations, including six scheduled friendly matches. His absence means he will miss valuable training sessions as the squad works on fitness, tactical organisation and team cohesion ahead of the new campaign.
Ogilvie had only recently returned to pre-season training after making 33 appearances across all competitions during the 2025–26 season. His importance to the club was further highlighted last month when he signed a new two-year contract, reaffirming Portsmouth’s confidence in his long-term contribution.
Speaking about the defender’s condition, Mousinho explained that Ogilvie had been coping with the injury during the latter part of last season but, after further assessment, the club’s medical staff and surgeon agreed that an operation to clean up the affected knee was the most sensible solution. While acknowledging that losing the player during pre-season is not ideal, the Portsmouth boss stressed that it is preferable to resolve the issue now rather than have it become a bigger problem midway through the campaign.
When asked whether Ogilvie could recover in time for the opening matches, Mousinho admitted that the timeline makes such a return unlikely, adding that the club expects him to be available only after the season has already begun.
Despite the setback, Portsmouth still have several players capable of covering the left-back position. During Ogilvie’s previous spell on the sidelines last season, Zak Swanson, Jordan Williams and Ibane Bowat all filled in at left-back. Ogilvie missed a total of 14 Championship matches during the previous campaign because of injury and suspension, giving those players valuable experience in the role.
The squad has also welcomed back Australian defender Jacob Farrell following his loan spell with Western Sydney Wanderers during the second half of last season. However, Farrell’s long-term future at Fratton Park remains uncertain, having made only three appearances since joining Portsmouth from Central Coast Mariners in 2024.
Meanwhile, another defensive option, Ibane Bowat, has reportedly been informed that he is free to leave the club during the current transfer window, potentially reducing Portsmouth’s defensive depth as they prepare for the new season.
Although Ogilvie’s absence represents a significant blow given his experience and consistency—having made 196 appearances since joining Portsmouth from Gillingham in 2021—the club will hope its available defensive options can provide adequate cover until the experienced full-back completes his rehabilitation and returns to action later in the campaign.
