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Portsmouth's Ronan Curtis pictured during their win against Ipswich Town on Saturday. PA
Donegal Catch

Ireland winger Ronan Curtis plays down prospect of January transfer

The Portsmouth star has attracted Championship attention since making the move from the League of Ireland.

RONAN CURTIS HAS reaffirmed his commitment to Portsmouth, insisting that he doesn’t want to move away in order to test himself at a higher level.

After impressing since joining the League One club from Derry City in the summer of 2018, Curtis has attracted considerable attention from Championship clubs.

Blackburn Rovers and Brentford were reported to be among his recent suitors, prompting Portsmouth to tie the 24-year-old winger down to a new deal that runs until 2023.

Curtis has continued his encouraging form so far this season, scoring eight goals in all competitions as Pompey chase a return to the Championship.

Ahead of tonight’s meeting with Fleetwood Town, Kenny Jackett’s side have won three games on the trot in all competitions and sit in third place in the table.

The transfer window will reopen on 2 January, but Curtis is not counting on an approach from elsewhere to achieve his aim of playing at a higher standard of club football.

Portsmouth have now spent nine seasons outside the top two tiers in England, an absence that the Republic of Ireland international is keen to bring to an end. 

“Any player would be silly to say they don’t want to test themselves at the next level,” he told The Portsmouth News. “We’re doing well and hopefully we get to the end of the season and do it.

“I want to better myself and get to the Premier League one day but hopefully we go up here. I’ve got to start here, hopefully we go up and then see what happens.

“100% I want to make it to the next level. I’m here and I’m not looking anywhere else. Hopefully we’ll be there at the end of the season and do go up.”

Curtis made his first competitive start at senior international level when he earned his sixth Ireland cap in last month’s goalless draw with Bulgaria in the Uefa Nations League.

Since his arrival at Portsmouth, he has contributed 34 goals and 27 assists while making a total of 115 appearances for the Fratton Park outfit.

He added: “I love the city, I love this club and they’ve been nothing but good to me. I repaid them back by signing a new deal and hopefully this is the year we go up.” 

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