‘A very good signing’ - the Exeter verdict on Portsmouth new-boy Jack Sparkes

That’s the view of Exeter fan and The News’ Simon Carter, who believes the 22-year-old will add plenty of attacking threat to Pompey’s left flank.

The left-back became the Blues’ seventh signing of the summer after he arrived from Exeter on a free transfer.

Sparkes penned a two-year deal with a club option of a further 12-months on Wednesday and took part in Pompey’s full return to training on Thursday.

And Carter is adamant the defender, who went on to appear 150 times for the Grecians after coming through the ranks, will offer Mousinho plenty of attacking threat to his left-back options.

He said: ‘Exeter’s youth academy is one of the best in the lower divisions and could easily argue it’s one of the best in the EFL.

‘In recent years we’ve produced Ollie Watkins, Ethan Ampadu, Matt Grimes and Christy Pym so we’ve produced players who have got the club a lot of money. Anyone who comes through Exeter’s academy will always be looked at.

‘Sparkes has come through the academy, played 150 games he’s been a regular but he wasn’t a regular towards the end of the season.

‘He didn’t make that many mistakes but they signed Dimetri Mitchell in January and Vincent Harper from Eastleigh. The two players who Caldwell has signed in Sparkes’ position have got pace and Sparkes wasn’t pacey enough for Caldwell’s game plan.

‘He fell out of favour and before the end of the season he said he would be leaving in the summer. He wasn't offered a new deal because he wouldn’t have signed it anyway and it was clear he wasn’t in the manager’s plans.

‘Any player who wants to leave a club rather than wait to be offered a new deal by the club obviously thinks he can do a job higher up than Exeter. I would’ve been surprised if he went to the Championship other than Rotherham because their manager is Matt Taylor, who also managed Exeter.

‘You’re then looking at clubs, who finished higher end League One last season and have a higher chance of getting promoted. Was I surprised Pompey signed him, though? Yeah I probably was.

‘If they’re looking to get rid of Denver Hume then they need to get someone else and Sparkes fits the Pompey template. He’s young, he’s got good experience and he’ll probably have a resale value.

‘Going forward is his greatest strength. He’s got a great delivery, he’s got a good technical ability, he does score goals - although not many but still scores, he’s more of an attacking player rather than a defensive-minded player put it that way.

‘Pompey will be looking to get to the Championship very quickly and I’m presuming that a lot of the players being signed are being signed not only to get out of League One but also making them a consistent Championship side.

‘If you’re looking for a free agent with League One experience - and left-footed players are hard to find - he probably is a very good signing.’