'His finishing is among the best at Portsmouth': John Mousinho reveals surprise positional switch for promising defender

Instead John Mousinho has earmarked utilitising the youngster’s attacking qualities further up the pitch as a wide midfielder.

The Blues are convinced the positional switch will bring the best out of the 20-year-old, who has yet to make a first-team appearance.

Danny Cowley’s first Pompey signing arrived from non-league Bromley in June 2021 as an exciting left-back or left wing-back.

Having been sidelined through injury almost all of last season, this term he has been loaned out to Maidstone, Hampton & Richmond and now Worthing to provide regular football.

Yet he has continued to train with Pompey, allowing Mousinho to assess Vincent’s talent at close range – and see a future in midfield.

The Blues’ head coach told The News: ‘We see Liam as more of an attacking player, so in the longer term Liam’s future is going a bit further forward.

‘He has done well out on loan at Worthing this season. There were a couple of injury troubles, but since he’s gone back into their side he has recently assisted in some goals. The general reports back are that he has been promising.

‘If you look at Liam’s ability to cross the ball and his finishing ability – which is probably up there with some of the best at the club – it will be far easier for him to affect the game further up the pitch.

‘Maybe that left wing-back position suits him quite nicely as well, but we aren’t playing wing-backs here at the moment. Instead we’re looking at midfield.

‘I've only seen him in training, I've not been able to go to a Worthing game yet. However, as they aren’t full-time, he’s with us the majority of the time and we’ve been able to have that exposure.

‘With the amount of crossing and finishing we’ve been able to do, you can see the quality he’s got. That left peg is really something quite special.

‘He has assists and goals in his locker. Not that you can’t do that from full-back, but sometimes, if you have that quality, it’s better to get yourself further up the pitch.’

Last pre-season, Vincent netted a superb free-kick for Pompey against the Hawks during pre-season.

He also registered a Boxing Day hat-trick for Hampton & Richmond, while has one goal in eight outings for fellow National League South side Worthing.

And for Mousinho, it’s Vincent’s attacking potential which really stands out.

He added: ‘He’s been playing a variety of positions at Worthing, sometimes left wing-back, sometimes left midfield, depending on what formation they play.

‘I’m also aware that when he was at Bromley, a big part of Liam’s potential was his flexibility and the fact he could play higher up the pitch, so it shouldn’t be beyond the realms of possibility for him to do that with us.

‘Certainly I see a lot of the attacking quality he has and, if we can get him a bit further up the pitch, it’s better for him – and also for us.’