Latest: Portsmouth boss sets date for Chelsea starlet’s first-team comeback and training return from injury

John Mousinho is anticipating having Tino Anjorin back in action for the final six weeks of Pompey’s season.

But the Blues boss has stressed the importance of handling the Chelsea starlet with kid gloves, as he prepares for his return from a serious hamstring injury.

Mousinho is hopeful the attacking talent could be back training at the club’s Hilsea base next week, after four months out following surgery.

Anjorin has battled back from the latest in the long line of different injury issues, after being forced off in the FA Cup loss at Chesterfield at the start of November.

Pompey are eyeing the 22-year-old potentially being ready by the time Barnsley visit Fratton Park on March 23, although Mousinho has underlined the need for caution over Anjorin being in contention.

He said: ‘Hopefully he will be back for the final six weeks of the season.

‘What we’re looking at with Tino at the moment is doing the final stages of his on-grass rehab with Chelsea, building up to a full training session before he comes here. 

‘Then he will get the sign off and come and train with us fully. I think we are going to be cautious with it, so that’s a realistic timescale.

‘If we’re not happy with where we’re at by the time Tino comes back then we’ll take a bit longer with it.

‘I think he will need to do one session there before signing him off, and I think that’s only fair. Then he will have a lot more than one training session here before we’re happy with him going into the matchday squad.’

Anjorin’s presence in Pompey’s group once again will be a boost for Mousinho’s squad, which has had to deal with unprecedented injury issues this season.

Even with a date for availability on the horizon, the head coach explained having the Premier League hopeful involved at some point this season has to be viewed as positive.

Mousinho added: ‘We’re possibly looking to push for next week (his return) and then we’ll see where we are off the back of that.

‘I think with Tino the way we’re looking at it is if we can get him back at some point it will be a real bonus. 

‘We are managing him really delicately. It was such a significant injury and the fact he needed to have surgery tells you everything you need to know. It was similar to Robbo’s and with Tino’s injury record we do need to be very cautious.’