The Hampshire coastal duo of Portsmouth and Southampton have a fierce rivalry. Pompey are the club that have the better record for winning major honours, lifting the FA Cup as recently as 2008.

Things change quickly in football of course, Saints were in League One as recently as the 2010/11 season. This season they finished seventh in the Premier League, whereas Portsmouth ended up in the bottom half of League Two.

Very much the junior team in that part of the world were Bournemouth, but the Cherries will also be in the Premier next season, three divisions above Pompey.

Eddie Howe is a manager who likes to attack and he has already been linked with several strikers. One of the Sunday papers has suggested that Howe has enquired about Sunderland’s Jermain Defoe, and would like to pair him with Rickie Lambert, who has had a difficult season at Liverpool.

Charlie Austin – who Howe had under his wing at Burnley – is another front player thought to be on Bournemouth’s radar.

Callum Wilson had a fine season after stepping up to the Championship, and former Charlton cult hero, Yann Kermorgant, was another forward who impressed.

Obviously there will have to be changes in personnel at Dean Court ahead of their debut season in the top-flight. Some players will come in, others will go, and with Howe looking for an influx of strikers, could Kermorgant be one of those surplus to requirements?

The Addicks are on the look out for a striker with aerial prowess, a criteria certainly met by Kermorgant. A return to The Valley couldn’t happen………………or could it?

One player definitely thought to be interesting the Valley outfit is Nantes’ left sided midfielder, Vincent Bessat. The 29-year-old Lyon born player is attracting interest from a number of clubs but Charlton are thought to be favourites for his signature.