'It's difficult': Rich Hughes delivers update on Portsmouth's lengthy pursuit of popular Premier League pair

The Blues are keen to bring the Premier League pair back to Fratton Park in some capacity following successful loan stays last season, albeit hindered by injury.

However, with both entering the final 12 months of contracts at their parent clubs, Hughes has still to learn whether a reunion is possible.

In the case of Manchester City’s Robertson, Pompey’s sporting director believes the situation is further complicated by ongoing rehabilitation from the torn hamstring which required surgery.

And, with the Championship season starting under a month away, the lengthy wait for clarification over either midfielder continues.

Hughes told The News: ‘There are a lot of conversations going on with a lot of players at this point and Robbo and Tino are both still very much at the forefront of conversation - but probably not with the clarity everyone needs at this point.’

‘Robbo is a conversation we’ve been having all the way through with Manchester City. First and foremost, we have to completely respect he’s their player, he’s going into the last year of his contract, so there are a few different scenarios in play.

‘Probably the thing which has slowed it down is he has been rehabbing from his injury, so is probably going to be a little behind in pre-season. He has to make sure he is right physically.

‘Then the conversations will be had with Manchester City in terms of his future pathway - whether that be at Manchester City or another location.

‘I very much know that Robbo enjoyed his time at the football club and we very much enjoyed having Robbo, which is a very good starting point.

‘But it's still very early in the window, so it’s difficult to really have a definitive answer on it.’

Pompey have already added one loanee to their ranks in Middlesbrough’s Sammy Silvera, who joined at the start of this month.

Yet it is proving tricky to establish whether Anjorin and Robertson can join the Australian international on the south coast.

Hughes added: ‘Tino is another player in the last year of his contract and a lot of what we said about Robbo will reflect across Tino as well.

‘The Tino we saw pre-injury showed glimpses - then the Tino post-injury when we got him back looked like a top, top player. Some of his performances really helped get us over the line at the back end of the season.

‘He very much enjoyed his time here and we were delighted to have him, but there are still conversations which need to be had with Chelsea to try to get that right.’