Coventry's Brandon Mason earmarked for Portsmouth loan as Danny Cowley steps up recruitment

And the left-back could feature in today’s friendly at Bristol City ahead of a potential loan arrangement.

Danny Cowley has identified the 23-year-old to provide competition to Lee Brown.

Liam Vincent is presently injured, yet earmarked for a loan away from Fratton Park, while ex-Lincoln left-back Sam Habergham has been on trial since the start of pre-season.

Regardless, Pompey’s boss has been pursuing a left-back alternative to last season’s vice-captain.

That search has brought Mason to the Blues’ attention.

He spent the majority of last season with St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership, making 12 appearances.

However, Mason has totalled 46 appearances for Coventry after joining them from Watford in July 2018.

During his time at Vicarage Road, he made two Premier League appearances, including starting against Manchester City in May 2017.

When Coventry won promotion to the Championship in the curtailed 2019-20 campaign, Mason made 10 league starts – and 17 outings overall.

Contracted until the summer of 2022, he is keen on a loan move for regular first-team football, with Pompey fitting the bill.

Mason is expected to link up with the Blues this week, allowing Cowley to assess him ahead of rubberstamping a possible loan switch.

The 23-year-old could even feature in this afternoon’s friendly at Bristol City (2pm).

A number of Pompey triallists are once again expected to take part, although former Southampton midfielder Jake Hesketh has now left.

Paul Downing, Gavin Bazunu, Vincent and Michael Jacobs have been ruled out through injury, but Brown and Reeco Hackett-Fairchild return.

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