Defender Matt Fish is set to return to Gillingham.

The right-back has been on loan at Portsmouth but was left out over the Christmas period after failing to make Pompey’s matchday squad.

It is understood that Pompey boss Andy Awford has, unsurprisingly, decided against renewing the defender’s deal.

Fish had joined the club in a bid to gain match sharpness but played just three games, his last being on December 13, a 3-2 home defeat to Accrington.

Prior to that he had been involved in a 3-0 win over Morecambe, on his debut, and a 3-1 defeat to Tranmere.

Fish missed virtually the entire 2013/14 season through injury and struggled to win a place in Peter Taylor’s side at the start of the current campaign.

He has completed just one full league match for the Gills this season, making six appearances in total.

Taylor has several options already at right-back, including fit-again Aaron Morris, John Egan, Gavin Hoyte and Jake Hessenthaler, meaning Fish may well have a fight on his hands to win a place back in the Gills team.

The Gills boss, meanwhile, is still waiting on news as to whether AFC Wimbledon wish to extend the deal keeping defender Adam Barrett there. That runs out on January 4.