‘Close’: Portsmouth firepower incoming with Premier League hope set to provide much-needed attacking boost

And the Blues boss acknowledged the boost the Brighton loanee can provide to his team’s ranks, after drawing a couple of blanks in their most recent outings.

O’Mahony has now been missing for approaching two months, after suffering an injury to his oblique muscle at Swansea in November. That absence has covered nine games and coincided with Colby Bishop’s return, after undergoing heart surgery in the summer.

Bishop has shouldered the burden up front, with Kusini Yengi sidelined and Elias Sorensen ending his short-lived Fratton stay with a move to Norwegian side Valerenga. That leaves Christian Saydee as the remaining option, with the powerhouse bringing the ability to unsettle sides, but not necessarily end product in his time at PO4.

With three goals in his first five Pompey appearances, O’Mahony has showed his can offer goal threat, with Mousinho welcoming that extra body up front being close to a return.

Mousinho said: ‘Mark’s close now and we’re monitoring him to make sure he’s right. He’s had a couple of injections in the site where he felt the injury.

‘That’s all been planned, but takes time to settle down. Once you have that injection it can take a couple of days before you can do your rehab, but he’s been outside and we’re monitoring him to make sure he’s ready to return to training and playing as quickly as possible.

‘It’s not long but it’s one we’ll monitor - we need to have as many options as possible.’

Mousinho feels O’Mahony has already showcased the danger he can offer in his time at Pompey, after making the Premier League breakthrough with his parent club last term. That has been matched with the fluctuation in form from the 19-year-old, to be expected from emerging talent.

Mousinho added: ‘Mark started his Portsmouth career really well and positively and got a couple of goals.

‘As with most young loans he then found himself in and out of the side, that was particularly accelerated by Colby being black in the building and Mark picking up a couple of niggles. Mark’s been an important of what we’re trying to do and we’re looking forward to having him back.’