Why such a good signing if he wasn’t playing at Fleetwood? Portsmouth boss answers question fans have been asking

And the opportunity to do so came with the Blues paying a significant undisclosed fee for a talent whose contract came to a close in the summer, albeit with Fleetwood holding a 12-month option to extend that agreement.

On top of that Paddy Lane was afforded a lengthy three-and-a-half year deal to make Fratton Park his next home, yet was a player featuring fleetingly this term for a side in the lower reaches of League One.

So why the big fuss?

Things were very different for Lane last year, with his stock sky high after a breakout campaign which saw him return five goals and eight assists.

His performances saw the 21-year-old make the international breakthrough with Northern Ireland, bag a fans player of the season award and named League One’s brightest young hope.

But things have since gone backwards this term under new boss Scott Brown, leading to some questions being asked from Pompey fans about their pursuit of the player.

Boss John Mousinho believes that’s fair line of inquiry - given the attention they afforded the issue themselves.

‘It’s a good question - and one we looked at in depth,’ said the Pompey boss of the due diligence carried out on Lane.

‘It’s part of the recruitment strategy to look at those things and make sure there aren’t any glaring issues.

‘Having been a player myself I can attest to this, sometimes it’s a case of things not quite working out for a player at a football club.

‘It seems like a sudden switch from what happened last year, but if you look at the way Fleetwood played against us the other day, they are a good side with some excellent athletes.

‘They are a very powerful side, very quick and very dynamic.

‘Part of it may be that Paddy didn’t really fit into that.

‘So part of it is just circumstance sometimes, and being able to come here and have a fresh start at a club of this size.

‘When I first spoke to Paddy, it was refreshing to see him hit such heights last year but be so excited and grateful to have the opportunity to come down and play for Portsmouth.

‘That’s what we want from our players - we want them to realise the magnitude of the club they are signing for - and to know we’ve shown an incredible amount of belief to bring them here.

‘That’s a big part of the story going forward. Those are the sort of players we want - and Paddy’s one of them.’

When reflecting on Lane’s signing, Mousinho feels it’s fair for Pompey to see his arrival as feather in the club’s cap.

It was only last summer the former Blackburn youngster was being touted for a move to the Premier League, with Brighton being spoken of as potential suitors.

Mousinho added: ‘It feels like that (a coup) to us.

‘Obviously it’s up to us and Paddy to prove that theory right, and progress Paddy even further from the heights he hit last season.

‘It certainly feels like a coup, but we know Paddy has a lot of work to do to hit those levels again and beyond.

‘It’s just quite exciting, quite exciting to get a player in with that amount of talent who had the season he had last year - and was recognised for that.

‘If you’d said in the summer you could get a player like Paddy Lane in January, we would have bitten your hand off.’