Locking horns with Real Madrid star and Europe’s elite: The rise of new Portsmouth signing linked with Crystal Palace, Stoke City and Sunderland

But that doesn’t mean rising teenage star Terry Devlin hasn’t got experience far beyond his relative tender years.

The new recruit snared by the Blues in front of a swathe of clubs for a reported £90,000 this week, has emerged as a central figure in the Northern Ireland Premiership this term at the age of 19.

That follows on from his international breakthrough at under-21 level for his country.

Devlin has locked horns with the likes of Lithuania and Scotland for his country, but it’s his tussles with Spain and France which will live longer in the memory.

Spurs talent Bryan Gil was in opposition as Spain picked up a 6-0 success last year, while a certain Real Madrid star Eduardo Camavinga lined up against Devlin the previous March in a 5-0 win against Devlin’s under-21 side.

They are moments which have offered the midfielder precious experience, with training camp call-ups for the senior squad ensuing.

‘I’ve enjoyed it,’ Pompey’s new signing explained to the club’s YouTube channel. ‘It’s a different type of experience.

‘It’s massive playing against top players from different nations, playing against the likes of France,

‘Camavinga played for them and that was an amazing experience.

‘Then there was the likes of Spain, so it’s been playing against the top players of my age.’

It’s been a big season domestically for Devlin, after earning his Glentoran move from Dungannon Swifts.

The highly-touted talent became a cornerstone of the Glens’ side, who went through a tumultuous campaign which ended on the high of securing European football.

Devlin added: ‘I’d got my move to Glentoran and sort of hit the ground running.

‘I did really well, better than I expected to do and impressed towards the end of the season playing the last 30 games in a row.

‘I impressed here and they liked what they saw, so I’m happy to be here and push on now.

‘It was a season of up and downs and I learned so much from it.

‘We started the season really, really well and were 14 games unbeaten at the start.

‘We then were hit with a load of injuries to our main players, and went through a tough spell where it was two wins in 10 games.

‘Then towards the end of the season we had a manager change, finished the season strongly and got European football.

‘I’m glad I could leave on a high by securing European football for them.’