Portsmouth chief executive officer Andy Cullen puts their blunt stance on Terry Devlin’s transfer to Wrexham and other interested clubs.
The last few weeks have been fairly relaxed for Wrexham, but it may not be long until the buzz returns to the Racecourse. In fact, the Reds have recently been hit with an alarming update that may signal what lies ahead in a busy summer.
Following the return of loanee Issa Kaboré to Man City, the right‑wing department has become an even greater concern. In this regard, the emerging update on long‑standing full‑back target Terry Devlin only adds to the existing worry.
Notably, Wrexham had scouted Portsmouth full‑back Devlin as a serious transfer target in the January window. Pompey rejected that interest at the time, and the club have now issued a blunt verdict on Devlin’s situation.
As quoted by Portsmouth Co UK, club executive Andy Cullen made it clear: “It’s documented we had interest in Terry, which was of no interest to us at all. We had interest in other players, which was of no interest to us.”
Cullen added: “So first and foremost, any deal we do has to be the right deal for the football club, and it has to be in a way that if we lose a player we can improve in that position as well.”
Pompey Executive bluntly puts their Terry Devlin transfer stance
Portsmouth had an underwhelming 2025/26 Championship campaign. While an 18th‑place finish after fighting their way out of the relegation zone might suggest their star players are available for transfer, the club have surprisingly taken a bold stance on their exit‑linked players.
This is especially true in the case of their rising right‑back, Terry Devlin. With the club highly aware that he is an indispensable asset, they are unlikely to let any club swoop him away cheaply or easily in the upcoming summer window.
As Portsmouth chief executive Andy Cullen acknowledged, the club received concrete interest in Devlin during the January window as well. While Wrexham made a massive leap in their attempt to sign the wing‑back by submitting a £2m bid, Pompey stood firm against any transfer request.
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What is worth noting is that Portsmouth stuck firmly to Cullen’s word in January, and they are likely to do the same this summer. The club’s transfer stance is clearly illustrated by their handling of Callum Lang’s departure in winter 2026.
Notably, Portsmouth allowed one of their trusted strikers, Callum Lang, to leave in January due to persistent fitness concerns. While the club made a substantial profit on their initial £400k investment in him, they replaced him with three signings in the wing department to strengthen their attack.
Mapping that to Terry Devlin’s case, Portsmouth are unlikely to allow the wing‑back’s departure unless an interested suitor arrives with an irrefutable offer. Again, that alone may not be sufficient, as the club may not let him leave unless they find a suitable replacement first.
Is Devlin to Wrexham already over ahead of transfer window?
It follows from Portsmouth executive Andy Cullen’s verdict that Wrexham have loosened their grip on the Terry Devlin transfer saga. While the club remain long‑term suitors for the exciting right‑back, Portsmouth are touted to do everything possible to keep him out of Wrexham’s reach.
What further goes against the Reds’ favour is the change in how they are perceived by other Championship clubs. Although Wrexham began the 2025/26 campaign being touted for relegation, their performances have exceeded everyone’s expectations.
The upcoming 2026/27 campaign is expected to be even more challenging, with clubs like West Ham, Burnley, and Wolves now in the Championship mix. Yet Wrexham are still discussed as playoff favourites based on their narrow miss in the 2025/26 campaign.
While this boosts Wrexham’s credibility in the eyes of competitors, it reduces their chances of directly benefiting from promotion‑rival sides. With even bottom‑table clubs like Portsmouth setting such high transfer standards for prized assets like Terry Devlin, Wrexham face a challenging hunt to strengthen their right‑back department this summer.
For now, Devlin’s move to Wrexham has drastically lost momentum following Cullen’s blunt verdict on the wing‑back. While the Reds have previously won over long‑term transfer targets in the following transfer windows on several occasions, it remains to be seen whether they can materialise their interest in Devlin this summer.
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