Blues forward Conor Chaplin is set to return to his local club Portsmouth on loan for the rest of the season, TWTD understands.

Chaplin, 28, has been a key player in Kieran McKenna’s back-to-back promotion-winning side having signed for his old Pompey boss Paul Cook from Barnsley in the summer of 2021.

We understand there is a recall clause in the deal which could see the attacker come back to Portman Road in January.

Chaplin’s contract is up next summer but with the club having an option for a further season.

In total, Chaplin, who started Saturday’s game against Derby, has made 127 starts and 47 sub appearances, scoring 55 times.

Worthing-born Chaplin, who came through the ranks at Pompey before moving on to Coventry in January 2019, was joint-top scorer in League One in the 2022/23 campaign, netting 23 times, plus three more in cup competitions.

Chaplin will become the fourth senior departure of the day, along with Chieo Ogbene, who is set to join Sheffield United on loan, Luke Woolfenden, who is moving to Coventry, and Ali Al-Hamadi, who exits for Luton, initially on loan.

With Conor Townsend not being registered due to his ACL injury, the Blues are now down to the required 25 players aged above 21 for their Championship squad.

It’s understood there is nothing in reports linking Elkan Baggott with Peterborough or the Blues with former loanee Mark McGuinness.

Photo: Matchday Images

philpott2 added 16:05 - Sep 1 Disagree with this one.... He's busy, effective and has a pass in him that only Broadhead could match, and now we are looking to have lost both. Yes he can go missing in matches, but so do the other ten players on the grass quite frequently. A huge disappointment. Let's hope that all of these new players coming in can help KM come up with an effective plan A and a plan B and C then. We can but hope.

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Magic8 added 16:05 - Sep 1 Nunez coming in will play there....if he starts ripping it up our supporters will.soon have their new hero.
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oioihardy added 16:06 - Sep 1 What are we actually doing , chappers is brilliant. Ruined my day this
11

GavITFC added 16:06 - Sep 1 Can’t understand this one at all. Absolutely fuming!! We’re a much better team with chappers in it
6

BluJu added 16:07 - Sep 1 No way! I do hope this proves to be wide of the mark. I love Chappers. I thought he'd started the season well, and he played a blinder on Saturday.
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muccletonjoe added 16:08 - Sep 1 FFS !!
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PrinceMinky added 16:08 - Sep 1 Not too happy with this. With that said. I wonder if this is a sign of intent for Cam Humphreys.
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sohamblue added 16:08 - Sep 1 Mistake
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bringmeaKuqi added 16:08 - Sep 1 Mental
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MickMccarthyWasRight added 16:09 - Sep 1 I am FURIOUS. We are ditching players who helped lift us from the gutter. Understandable if we stayed up last year but El Chapo has proved it in the championship before. THIS IS A MASSIVE MISTAKE!!!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!!! MM
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bluerico added 16:09 - Sep 1 Thought he was one of our better players on Saturday, and why are we loaning/selling players to potential rivals?
5

ChingShady added 16:10 - Sep 1 I thought in the first half on Saturday he literally showed us he still adds so much value and different option to any of our other forwards. He's got the best pass in the club to unlock a defence and always finds himself at the end of cut backs, work rate through the roof. I'm not sure how I feel about this one. It being Pompey makes me feel a bit better as it's hometown club, but something doesn't sit right, Chappers is still more than good enough to start for another promotion season campaign.

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chrismadrid added 16:11 - Sep 1 Keep hold on Chaplin....has goals in him
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chrismadrid added 16:11 - Sep 1 Keep hold on Chaplin....has goals in him
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chrismadrid added 16:11 - Sep 1 Keep hold on Chaplin....has goals in him
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chrismadrid added 16:12 - Sep 1 Keep hold on Chaplin....has goals in him
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Swailsey added 16:13 - Sep 1 Terrible news.
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Gforce added 16:13 - Sep 1 Blues1.....Think you might be in the minority, as several on here seem to agree with me, in that he played very well on Saturday. December 1963 certainly agrees,he's told us 4 times !
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rickw added 16:13 - Sep 1 I thought he was our best attacking player on Saturday, so disappointed, however I would like to see us switch to a more of a 433 formation which doesn't fit Chaplin.....
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chrismadrid added 16:13 - Sep 1 Keep hold on Chaplin....has goals in him
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VanDusen added 16:15 - Sep 1 I've been getting more disillusioned with football by the week, but this now really hammers home we're no longer ITFC - but some godawful 'entertainment business' judged by how many overpriced overpaid mercenaries we can get in rather than players who give their heart and soul on the pitch (which is - of course - the reason why we got up in the first place). Modern football - you can stick it imo.

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GetWelwyn added 16:16 - Sep 1 Oh dear! He provides a spark that no-one else can match. Improved the team on Saturday. Gutted.
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weepingx2018 added 16:17 - Sep 1 Totally GUTTED if this is true - I'm in shock.
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ITFCson added 16:18 - Sep 1 I still trust McKenna but I really hope he knows what he’s doing because will soon be a lot of discontent amongst fans (if their isn’t already) if results and performances don’t soon improve with this new look squad
6

darkhorse28 added 16:18 - Sep 1 Such a great attitude and part of a group that defined ‘winning mentality’ That’s the leadership group that McKenna inherited (Morsy, Chaplin, Burgess, Wolf) now gone. I don’t think KM has shown he can build a team dynamic that strong…, time will tell, but no hiding place. Because we’ve spent £200 million and in my opinion, there’s every sign (from the players here 12 months already) that they don’t 1% have the win at all costs mentality that Chaplin oozes. Portsmouth are lucky.., he’ll do great with regular games. McKenna can’t bid now.., you don’t just build a team on the training pitch, it’s often what’s between the ears that counts. Time will tell.

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