Ex-Wolves, Wigan and Derby winger's honest take on his unusual Portsmouth contract - and why it makes sense for the club

The classy attacker penned a new 12-month contract earlier this month to extend his Fratton Park stay.

He arrived in September 2020 under Kenny Jackett, yet there were fears the popular former Wolves man would walk away this summer after becoming a free agent.

However, Jacobs was persuaded to stay, agreeing to a performance-related arrangement which dictates his wage is primarily based around appearances.

It’s a novel deal and certainly a canny move by the Blues for a talented performer who has nine goals in 54 matches during a south-coast stay hampered by injury and illness.

And an honest Jacobs can recognise the reasons behind the structure of his new deal.

He told The News: ‘The way it has panned out, a performance-related contract was always going to be the case.

‘Looking at my record for games across last season, I was fit for a large proportion, but also came into the campaign on the back of one injury and picked up another in February.

‘This deal gives me a real incentive to make sure I am trying to play every week and staying fit, while doing what I can when out on pitch.

‘Instead of being a basic contract – such as if you play this game or that game – it’s more related to how you are playing and how much you are playing.

‘Everything we talk about with me is how often I’m out there and what I’m doing. It’s up to me to be available on a consistent basis and be out there playing on a regular basis.

‘This contract is a consequence of being at the back end of a couple of bad years in terms of fitness, I don’t think it matters what age you are.

‘If you manage to string 50 games together for four years in a row, that conversation (performance-related) doesn’t really come up in negotiations.

‘But the fact I am where I am, especially down here and what people see, it is often “Oh yeah, when he plays he’s good, but when he’s not playing it’s more often than not”.

‘That’s down to luck probably more than anything if I’m honest, but, over the course of my two years at Pompey, that’s just where it’s at.’

Jacobs totalled 32 appearances last season, along with seven goals.

Yet he enjoyed a strong second half to the campaign after turning down a switch to Doncaster in January.

During that spell, he also convinced Cowley and the Blues hierarchy to table a fresh deal.

Jacobs added: ‘Hopefully my (performance-related) contract won’t be an issue when the season starts.

‘I can try to make sure I’m in the best possible place by being fit and playing well.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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