Exciting Portsmouth prospect Haji Mnoga set for exit to National League

Kenny Jackett is set to let the teenager leave Fratton Park to gain experience at National League level.

Jackett believes believes a stint away from the Blues is the perfect next step for the young prospect to take in his promising career.

Mnoga is on standby for tomorrow’s EFL Trophy clash with Scunthorpe if James Bolton doesn’t recover from a bout of illness in time for the quarter-final clash.

But the Pompey boss feels a spell playing senior football in the game’s fifth tier is the ideal development for the Southsea lad who signed a senior deal last month.

Jackett said: ‘We’re looking at a loan for Haji.

‘There’s been one or two clubs interested. One or two clubs in the National League.

‘If we can get him out on loan we probably will. He needs to get out into men’s football.

‘There’s one or two asking and something may happen soon.

‘It could help him if he can get a spell going between now and the end of the season. That would be good.

‘He had some good games last season and didn’t let us down at Walsall.

‘I took him off after an hour when I didn’t think he was particularly flagging. He didn’t do himself any harm in that game.

‘I think he would’ve been close to playing in the league if he hadn’t been injured with the way our right-back slot evolved.’

Assistant manager Joe Gallen has stated he feels Mnoga would’ve played league football if it wasn’t for injuring his foot at Victorious Festival last summer.

The 17-year-old admitted he felt it was time to grow up in the wake of that incident, but Jackett feels that’s a harsh assessment.

He added: ‘His injury was one of those freak things.

‘You can’t look after yourself to that degree. That’s difficult.

‘It doesn’t seem it was anything (untoward). I wasn’t there, but it doesn’t seem it. It’s one of those things.

‘You could be jumping around a bit and it could happen. It’s hard to get everything right.

‘To be a fit, young player and suddenly miss half a season is a big thing.

‘But he’s come back in training well anyway.’