LATEST: Portsmouth zero in on Reading man with Carlisle United midfielder in sights as recruitment charge continues

Pompey remain confident of seeing a deal over the line for Reading defender Tom McIntyre as the transfer window reaches its climax.

And Carlisle midfielder Owen Moxon is firmly in the Blues’ sights, with business still to be completed at Fratton Park before Thursday’s 11pm deadline.

But Carlisle’s valuation of the exciting midfielder, could well prove a substantial stumbling block to seeing a move to fruition for the 26-year-old.

Pompey are ploughing on with putting the final touches to the squad, after some impressive strengthening so far this month.

Callum Lang was today unveiled on a two-and-a-half year deal from Wigan, following Matt Macey and Myles Peart-Harris in some eye-catching business to date.

McIntyre is viewed as the man to improve the Blues at the back, with the 25-year-old in the final six months of his contract with the Royals.

Agreeing the finer details of the move for a player who signed his last contract in the Championship in 2021 is still to be concluded, but Pompey are upbeat about getting a deal over the line.

That would represent another piece of impressive business with the Scot bringing the second-tier experience Mousinho is looking for.

Sealing a switch for Moxon looks a less likely proposition at this moment, however, with the powerful talent seen as the kind of player Pompey could work on as a project.

His contract comes to a close this summer, with Carlisle tabling a very presentable new deal following their takeover by an American investment group at the end of last year.

The Cumbrians have also put a valuation on the former Queen of the South and Annan Athletic man Pompey view as too high, for a player in the final six months of his agreement.

They see Moxon as an option for the longer term rather than now, with Mousinho happy with his deeper-lying options centrally.

The Carlisle-born talent would certainly offer something different in that area, however, to what the Blues already have with the likes of Marlon Pack, Joe Morrell and Tom Lowery.

There, of course, is likely to be plenty of toing and froing before the transfer window comes to a close this Thursday, but if Moxon stays at Brunton Park Pompey are well aware it’s a deal which could revisited in the summer.