Bognor want ex-Pompey forward - whether they get him is another matter

As things stand, only keeper Amadou Tangara, young midfielder Tommy Leigh and ex-Pompey forward Dan Smith are tied to the club for the 2020-21 season.

Manager Jack Pearce said they had asked members of the 2019-20 squad to return next term but the football landscape was very uncertain for all clubs and it was likely to take a long time for players to commit to teams for next year.

Lethbridge has been on loan at Bognor for most of the past two seasons but Pompey have now let him go.

Pearce said: “We want to keep Brad but as with a lot of players in the months to come, everything is going to be very uncertain.

“There may well be clubs at all levels letting players go because budgets have changed and that can have an effect right down the leagues. As things stand, we have only three we know will be with us next season.”

Pearce said he would not be surprised to see some Football League and National League clubs scrap youth systems in the post-pandemic world, which could create another group of players who would be looking for new clubs.