'He has half a chance of making it': Portsmouth boss explains youngster's loan recall as Blues weigh up Fratton future

Pompey are seeking a new loan home for Destiny Ojo as they weigh up his Fratton Park future.

The third-year scholar was recalled from Poole Town on deadline day, with the Blues concerned over game time.

Despite 22 appearances for the Southern League Premier South side managed by Matt Tubbs, just seven were starts.

Still, Ojo scored six times and registered three assists during a productive time with 11th-placed Poole, whose fans speak highly of his contributions. 

And with decisions looming over whether to offer fresh deals to Ojo and Academy graduates, John Mousinho believes it’s key to find the striker more game time.

He told The News: ‘It’s just about game time for Destiny. It wouldn't have been a huge issue for us to stay at Poole, but we made the decision to recall him and then see if he can get a bit more game time elsewhere.

‘Poole have been pretty good this year, particularly since Matt (Tubbs) has gone in there. They have two really experienced centre-forwards at that level, so it was tough for Destiny to get in, but overall it has been a really good experience for him.

‘I think we’ll take a serious look at that now, we have time with the non-league window still open.

‘One of the reasons Sam Folarin went on loan there (Poole) and came back was because he wasn’t having the impact we would have liked him to have, but the fact Destiny stayed showed what they thought of him.

‘He has a lot of attributes and definitely has half a chance of making it.’

Ojo arrived from Lancing in the summer of 2022, yet broke his ankle while training with Danny Cowley’s first-team.

The injury sidelined him for seven months, but he returned for the under-18s in the second half of last season, scoring three goals in 13 appearances.

Ojo netted in pre-season against Gosport and the Hawks after stepping up to John Mousinho’s side, before loaned to Poole.

Pompey’s head coach added: ‘Destiny has not been involved a huge amount with the first-team and it has been difficult for the scholars this year.

‘Koby (Mottoh) has been up with us in the past couple of weeks and done pretty well, we would have liked to have seen him in that scheduled Aldershot friendly with a few other scholars.

‘That would have been a match where the majority of starters would have been pros - then we could finish the game off with a lot of the Academy players.

‘There is still plenty of time to monitor all those sorts of things, but, at the minute, our focus is on the league and that can be tough for scholars trying to make that leap.

‘Even in training we have good numbers, so it’s a difficult place to be, but certainly the young Academy players should keep their heads up, there’s plenty of time left to assess where they’re at.’