Portsmouth boss determined to help ex-England, Ipswich and Sheffield United starlet finally fulfil exciting potential

And he’s ready to throw Pompey’s latest signing straight in against Leeds for the Championship opener.

Dozzell has become the Blues’ eighth signing of the summer after arriving at Fratton Park on Monday on 12-month deal with a club option.

The former QPR and Ipswich man had been trialling with Sheffield United during pre-season, featuring in three friendlies, before leaving at the end of last week.

Pompey were quick to swoop, securing a player who has totalled 43 appearances for England at under-16 to under-20 levels.

Now aged 25, Mousinho is convinced there is more to come from the central midfielder.

He told The News: ‘Andre has played plenty of Championship games and knows what the league is about. He’s also done well at that level.

‘He’s a very technical central midfielder, can handle the ball very, very comfortably, wants to get it off the back four, and wants to play, which suits the way we want to go about our business. He also gets around the pitch really well and is a decent-enough athlete.

‘He’s a player who really fits into our philosophy in terms of the way we want to play and the way we want to do things at the football club.

‘Andre is a player who, earlier in the window, we didn’t think would be available to us, we didn’t think we could get him. Everything came together quite nicely towards the back end of pre-season.

‘He’s one of those that had a really high potential as a youngster and he has probably fulfilled about 75 per cent of that.

‘Now he’s looking for the next level again and it’s really exciting for him to be able to come to a football club where we can give him that platform - and we’re excited to have him.’

Dozzell started 22 Championship games for QPR last season, before moving on loan to Birmingham for the second half of the year.

In total, he made 35 Championship appearances and scored three times in 2023-24, with Rangers handing him a free transfer at the campaign’s conclusion.

Since then he has been at Bramall Lane, featuring in friendlies against Chesterfield, Harrogate Town and Rotherham, totalling 136 minutes.

Mousinho added: ‘Andre has been training at Sheffield United and played friendlies there. When you look at some of the other free transfers floating about, he’s actually had a pre-season season and played games, which is good.

‘That appealed to us in terms of his availability - and for this weekend (Leeds). We spoke to Andre on Friday and the deal was done Monday afternoon, it was quick.’