Portsmouth boss addresses future of ex-Norwich and Arsenal winger with D-Day looming

John Mousinho will use the next five matches to assess whether Josh Martin has a Pompey future.

The former Norwich and Arsenal winger has so far made three appearances, with his short-term deal expiring in early January,

With the impending first-team return of fit-again Anthony Scully, along with Gavin Whyte now available and the impressive form of Paddy Lane and Abu Kamara, the Blues now appear well-stocked in wide positions.

That wasn’t the case when Martin signed a two-month contract in November following a time training with the club.

Yet Mousinho is adamant a decision has still to be made - and Martin has the busy festive period to prove his worth.

Pompey’s head coach told The News: ‘That’s one we are going to look at over the next five games.

‘It seems funny because there’s not a huge amount of time between now and then, but there are so many matches and we know Josh is going to have a part in some of them. We will take a view of what that looks like.

‘Certainly Josh has the ability to come in and affect games, as we’ve seen so far. It’s easy to forget he was part of that really good performance at Burton, he didn’t then lose his place on form, but I thought three games in a week was probably too much for somebody who hadn’t played for so long.

‘Unfortunately for him, Paddy came in on the left and scored a couple of goals at Northampton, so kept his place against Bolton.

‘Josh has performed really well and done everything asked of him. He has a big part to play over the next few games and possibly beyond that.’

In that period, the Blues host AFC Wimbledon in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy on Tuesday night (7.45pm), and, in League One, have fixtures against Fleetwood, Bristol Rovers, Exeter and Stevenage.

The 22-year-old has started two league games - against Blackpool and Burton - while appeared as an 84th-minute substitute at Northampton.

He wasn’t included in the squad for Saturday’s 3-0 success at Shrewsbury, although travelled as 19th man.

Mousinho added: ‘It’s not just judging Josh, he has done really well, and of course every single player is judged every time they pull a shirt on and step onto a football pitch.

‘It’s about that and where the squad is at that point, ensuring we make good decisions for the best of the football club.’