Latest: Defender set to leave Portsmouth at transfer window’s finale
The defender is attracting interest in the countdown to Monday’s transfer window deadline, with the latest today as John Mousinho updates on Pompey’s position.
Jacob Farrell has been given the green light to leave Pompey before the transfer window’s close.
Blues boss John Mousinho feels letting the Aussie gain game time away from Fratton Park is the ‘fair thing to do’, before the close of business on Monday evening.
Mousinho on defender: ‘Fair thing to do is to get him a loan’
But the Pompey head coach stressed he’s comfortable with the left-back staying put at PO4 for the rest of the season, if a suitable move can’t be found.
Mousinho acknowledged regular minutes elsewhere is what’s needed for the 23-year-old’s own progress and for his club to see their asset develop, however, after an injury-ravaged time in England.
The News understands there’s been a heavy amount of interest in Farrell this month, with sides in Denmark, Australia, Scotland and England keen on the 2024 arrival.
Pompey boss on Farrell: ‘About getting him exposed to English football’
Those options are now naturally narrowing, however, as sides pick up alternative options with time ticking down to Monday’s 7pm deadline.
The player himself will likely still harbour hope of making it to World Cup next summer, with Farrell valued within the Socceroos set-up. That dream will certainly be extinguished, however, if the Central Coast Mariners arrival doesn’t move.
Mousinho has clearly set out his stall that he has to protect Pompey’s threadbare options first, amid the ongoing injury crisis unfolding.
That points towards Saturday’s clash with West Brom being negotiated, before a late race for Farrell to find a new temporary home at the window’s climax.
Mousinho said: ‘We have to take a view with Faz, who has come in and done pretty well.
‘He gives us cover but if there’s something that’s attractive to him, we’d have a conversation.
‘Faz has come in and done pretty well, but if something comes up that’s attractive for him we’d have that conversation.
‘It’s about getting him minutes and getting him exposed to English football.
‘The selfish thing to do would be to keep him in - and if we need to keep him in we will do behind Connor (Ogilvie), Zak (Swanson) and Willo (Williams).
‘The fair thing to do, if we can do it, is to get him a loan.
‘Jacob’s preference would be to play here, but we need to make sure we keep developing him as a future asset.
‘If it doesn’t look like it’s viable (a loan) then Jacob is great, he’ll be a pleasure to work with, stay here and works his socks off to try to get into the side.’