Luke Le Roux leaves Portsmouth by mutual agreement after 13 months

South Africa midfielder Luke Le Roux has left Portsmouth after agreeing to terminate his contract with the Championship club, despite having two years remaining on his deal.

The 26-year-old Bafana Bafana international had been expected to depart before the transfer deadline on Tuesday, but no move materialised. Instead, Le Roux and Portsmouth reached an agreement to end his contract, allowing him to leave as a free agent.

Portsmouth confirmed the decision in an official statement, saying: “Portsmouth FC can announce a mutual agreement with Luke Le Roux for him to end his contract with the club.”

Le Roux joined Pompey from Swedish club IFK Varnamo last summer. During his 13 months at Portsmouth, he made 17 appearances for the club.

His final outing came in the first round of the Carabao Cup against West Ham at London Stadium last month. However, regular first-team football remained difficult to secure, with manager John Mousinho having repeatedly indicated that Le Roux’s future was likely to lie away from Fratton Park.

Mousinho paid tribute to the midfielder’s attitude during his time with Portsmouth and expressed hope that he would find a club where he could play more consistently.

“Luke has been a pleasure to work with over the past year and never let us down when called upon. Hopefully he will now be able to find more regular first-team football at a new club and we all wish him the very best for the future,” Mousinho said.

Le Roux’s departure brings an early end to his time in England, with the former IFK Varnamo player now free to negotiate with other clubs.

The South African is expected to look for a move that offers him greater opportunities to play regularly. A return to Scandinavia, where he previously built his career, is one possible route, although a transfer to another European league could also be considered.

Le Roux’s exit follows a period in which he struggled to establish himself as a regular starter at Portsmouth, despite remaining available when called upon by Mousinho.

The midfielder will now focus on securing his next club and reviving the regular playing time that had made him a notable part of the South African national-team setup. His experience in Sweden and England could give him several options as he assesses the next stage of his career.

Portsmouth, meanwhile, have confirmed that the contract termination was agreed mutually with the player.