Blues boss admits defender transfer plans put on hold as Portsmouth prioritise offloading ex-Sunderland man

The Blues are keen to recruit competition for Connor Ogilvie during a summer overhaul which has already brought five new faces to Fratton Park.

However, ongoing uncertainty over Denver Hume’s future has prompted ambitions to strengthen the left-back area to be temporarily paused.

Pompey are keen to offload the 26-year-old for a cut-price fee, with League Two clubs having indicated their interest.

Mousinho presently has three left-backs on his books – Ogilvie, Hume and Liam Vincent – and it’s financially unrealistic to add a fourth.

Until Hume departs, that situation is unlikely to change, although Pompey’s head coach is adamant a ‘back-up plan’ is operational.

Mousinho told The News: ‘Most likely we won’t replace Denver until he goes, it’s very difficult.

‘I wouldn’t 100 per cent rule it out, but it becomes a bit more difficult trying to get somebody in while he’s still in the building.

‘At the moment we have Connor and Denver, while Liam (Vincent) is coming back into it, although maybe we’ll see him in a more advanced role.

‘With those in the building already, as it stands we aren’t actively seeking anything. However, we are keeping an eye on a few in case there’s an option for Denver to go.

‘Certainly that’s something we have to keep fluid, making sure we’re on top of any potential left-backs that can possibly come in because we don’t want to be left short.

‘It’s one of those tricky ones where you have to balance it. We don’t want too many left-backs in the building at any one time and to be juggling that.

‘There is a back-up plan, but sometimes those back-up plans come and go, so you have to make sure we have a back-up plan to the back-up plan ad nauseam.

‘But that’s fine, that’s part of recruitment. This instance isn’t hugely straightforward at the moment, but we’re working hard on it.

‘That could change if one comes up that we can’t pass up, but again it’s a case of making sure we balance the ins and outs of the squad, as well as the budget.

‘What we don’t want to do is stand in Denver’s way, he wants to play football.’

Pompey presently have two right-backs in Joe Rafferty and Zak Swanson.

Understandably, they don’t wish to potentially have four on their books at left-back – with all parties keen for Hume’s departure.

Mousinho added: ‘Denver trains well every day, is a really dedicated player, and I’m sure he’ll find another club. I expect plenty of interest in him come the end of the transfer window.

‘Denver has said he’d like to play a bit more football and that’s absolutely fine. With Connor in the building performing as well as he does, at Denver’s age of 26 it’s a perfectly fair thing for him to do.

‘What he wants to avoid is a season the same as last year. He has a year left on his contract, so we have to work out what that looks like for the football club – and won’t stand in his way.’