BREAKING: Development on Portsmouth interest in Sunderland’s former Preston North End and Bristol City defender

The Blues boss will now turn elsewhere to bring in the centre-back he’s looking to recruit before the close of the transfer window, with a deal for Wright not getting off the ground.

And Mousinho has now outlined the direction of travel in that area ahead of next Tuesday’s deadline.

The 36-year-old confirmed his interest in the powerful Australian he knows well from their time together at Preston North End.

But Mousinho anticipates the Wright staying put at the Stadium of Light.

He said: ‘It looks like from our perspective that Bailey is probably going to stay up in Sunderland.

‘I checked in on that yesterday and it looks a non-starter for us.’

Mousinho has made it clear bringing in someone who can operate in the middle of his back line is his priority at present, as he settles into his first managerial role at Fratton Park.

Clark Robertson is sidelined with a quad injury, heightening the need for another body in that department for the second half of the campaign.

With left-footed Ryley Towler making a promising start to his Pompey career and Connor Ogilvie also able to operate on the left side of a central pairing, a right footer will be the preferred addition.

Mousinho is not tied down on the other attributes he wants from the player he wants to arrive in that area of the pitch, however.

The Blues boss is fully aware he may have to be flexible in his thinking, with there usually a few twists and turns as the window comes to a climax.

He added: ‘There’s always a mix.

‘If you look at the attributes of a centre-half, what we want would probably describe Virgil van Dijk.

‘What we would want is someone who is quick, strong, aggressive, aerially dominant and can play as well.

‘What we will probably end up with is getting those attributes across the board from two centre-halves. That will leave us in a better place.

‘I’m saying that because we won’t rule out one profile over the other.

‘So if we don’t go for a defender who’s not quite like Bailey Wright, don’t be too surprised, because we are restricted by what’s available.

‘We’ll look to have that mix, so it’s mixing all of those things or as many as you can - in a back line especially.’