LATEST: Portsmouth boss outlines scenario over summer exit for goal machine linked with Blackpool and Blackburn Rovers

But Blues head coach John Mousinho admitted a scenario could develop which leads to a summer departure for his top scorer.

Mousinho believes the Magic Man is happy at Fratton Park, however, as he plays the best football of his career.

Bishop became just the fifth Pompey player in 30 years to break the 20-goal barrier on Tuesday night.

That has seen his valuation sky rocket after his £500,000 arrival from Accrington last summer, with Blackpool interested back then and Blackburn touted for a move for the 26-year-old since.

Mousinho welcomed the likely interest Bishop’s form will generate, as he clarified Pompey’s position over the marksman.

He said: ‘We could probably have done with winning 2-1 on Tuesday and Colby not scoring!

‘It’s great, though. UItimately, we want our players to be linked with clubs in a perverse way.

‘That then means they are doing well and we are doing well - but we don’t want to lose them at the same time.

‘We want to be a club who develop players, and sometimes it’s going to be inevitable that we sell players for that player’s career.

‘What we want do though is keep players here, develop players and they move through the leagues with Portsmouth. That’s the dream, and if we can start building that it will be a good place to be.

To a certain extent (the model is to develop and sell), though I wish it was that easy.

‘There’s two threads to that. When we bring in players to develop them here for the benefit of the club, that is for what we do on a Saturday and Tuesday night.

‘We really do hope we’re bringing in players who are ready for the next level as well, or aren’t ready and are capable of playing at the next level.

‘We don’t want to sell if we don’t have to sell - we can produce players who can play higher.

‘It’s inevitable, however, we have players who outperform the level we’re at now. So that may be a conversation we have a some point, and we have to sell a player.

‘There’s no huge pressure to do that, though. We don’t have to sell players every year to balance the books. There’s no pressure whatsoever.

‘The only pressure is to make the players we sign better. That’s a good position to be in.

‘There’s none whatsoever (pressure to sell Bishop). I know Colby is really happy here and he’s clearly playing the best football of his career.’

Mousinho acknowledged Bishop is likely to have Championship aspirations as his career accelerates, but sees no reason why they can’t be fulfilled at Pompey.

The head coach sees a player who is settled at PO4 and still in the first year of a three-year deal, with the Blues holding an option to extend that stay for an additional 12 months.

Mousinho added: ‘At Accrignton, Colby scored quite a few goals over a few years, but never got to 20.

‘There’s a few factors coming in there. Yes, he’s playing for Portsmouth in this league, but with that comes a lot of pressure.

‘But if you see what he’s done in my time here, he’s played up front on his own and taken an absolute battering in some games - and still pops up with goals.

‘It’s really pleasing to see him do that, lead the line and then put his foot through one at the end of the game, like he did at Accrington. That’s great.

‘He’s really happy here, playing some of the best football of his career - and long may that continue.

‘I hope he hope has Championship aspirations.

‘The easiest way for him to get there is with this football club, without having to rely on anything else and any external factors.

‘If that’s his ambition, my challenge is for him to take this side there himself.

‘He can have all those aspirations, but that would be Coby relying on other people to do them.

‘What’s in his control is what he can do every week to help this football club get there.’