Portsmouth
After both Sunderland and Portsmouth had bids in the region of £6 million accepted for the player, Nugent was eventually unveiled as a Pompey player at a press conference alongside John Utaka on 11 July 2007. However, rumours followed just weeks later that Derby County were considering a bid for Nugent and that he would be leaving Portsmouth in the same transfer window he arrived in. In a post-match press conference following a League Cup match early on in Nugent's Pompey career, in which he scored his first goal for the club, Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp publicly stated Nugent would be free to leave the club if the right offer came in to help fund a move for more players. However, Nugent stated he wanted to stay at Portsmouth.
A possible loan deal to Ipswich Town fell through in early March 2008 with Jim Magilton, the Ipswich manager, left questioning Nugent's fitness.
Nugent appeared frequently for Portsmouth in the FA Cup, scoring a goal in their third-round tie against Ipswich Town. His role culminated in coming on for John Utaka in the 69th minute of the final against Cardiff City, eventually winning the trophy.
The next season and after 18 months at the club, Nugent scored his first Premier League goal – against former manager Harry Redknapp at Tottenham Hotspur in a 1–1 draw on 18 January 2009. Two matches later he scored his second goal at Fulham and followed this up with his first league goal at Fratton Park, scoring against Liverpool on 7 February 2009. However, these were to be Nugent's only top flight goals for Pompey.
On 5 August 2009, it was reported that Nugent had been involved in an alleged bust-up with teammate Marc Wilson during Portsmouth's pre-season trip to Portugal. Both players were sent home and subsequently fined two weeks' wages by the club.
On 1 September 2009, it was reported that Nugent was in talks with Burnley about a loan move. Thirty minutes after the transfer window closed it was reported that Burnley had signed Nugent on a six-month-long loan deal with a view to a permanent move, subject to Premier League clearance. On 12 September, he made his debut for the Clarets when he replaced Martin Paterson 70 minutes into the match against Liverpool at Anfield. After coming on as a second-half substitute for the Clarets on his home debut against Sunderland, Nugent scored two goals, helping Burnley to a 3–1 win. Nugent signed another loan agreement with Burnley on 1 February which would keep him at the club on loan until June.
After failing to renegotiate a permanent deal with Burnley or attract an alternative Premier League club, Nugent returned to newly relegated Portsmouth in the 2010–11 pre-season. He was a regular starter as a left sided forward. After an initial goal drought that saw him fail to hit the net until his goal in a 6–1 defeat of Leicester City on 24 September 2010 (his first for Pompey since February 2009), Nugent finished the season as Portsmouth's top goalscorer, scoring 14 goals in all competitions.
