Impressive Kusini Yengi's Championship warning after sparkling Portsmouth breakthrough

Kusini Yengi is adamant the Fratton faithful have yet to see the best of him.

And the talented striker is banking on overcoming his international teething problems to flourish in the Championship.

The 25-year-old enjoyed an outstanding maiden campaign in English football after moving from Western Sydney Wanderers in July 2023.

After registering on his debut against Bristol Rovers, Yengi totalled 13 goals, while also achieved his international breakthrough with Australia with six caps and one goal.

Yet he believes those gruelling Socceroos commitments impacted on his end-of-season performances for the Blues as he adjusts to the life of an international footballer.

Yengi told The News: ‘Personally, it has been a season of ups and downs with injury and starting and then I’m not starting.

‘Overall, though, I’ve enjoyed it and learnt a lot. I’ve been able to contribute to what has been an amazing season for Pompey - and you’ve not yet seen the best of me. Definitely not.

‘I am probably my harshest critic, especially in the last couple of games when I didn’t play that well.

‘But it’s a new experience travelling to Oz for the internationals and that’s something I have to learn, another challenge I have to go through. My body adjusting to the travel before coming back and straight into playing for Pompey again.

‘Now I have done it a couple of times, I am getting used to it a bit more and I’m sure next year it won’t be a problem.

‘I don’t think we’ve seen the best of me, I have a lot more to improve on and a lot more to work on. I will continue working in this off-season and hopefully come back stronger and better.’

Of Yengi’s 26 League One outings, just seven were starts as he battled with Colby Bishop for a spot.

Nonetheless, he retained a remarkable scoring rate, including netting in two of the last three matches in the League One title-winning season.

He added: ‘The camaraderie is the strength of all great teams and we also have that spirit. We all get along off the field as much as we get along on it, which helped us a lot.

‘This is a very close group, you see that on the field in the way we fight each other.’