Exclusive:Portsmouth boss addresses Fratton Park future of forgotten man as he nears horror injury return

John Mousinho has unveiled his Pompey plans for forgotten man Mark Kosznovszky.

And with January pencilled in as a first-team return, he is adamant the Hungarian midfielder won’t be leaving on loan.

The 24-year-old has been sidelined since December, after suffering ACL damage to a knee during a substitute appearance against Charlton.

At the time, Kosznovszky, a July 2025 signing from HTK Budapest, had begun to establish himself in Mousinho’s side, starting four of their last eight Championship fixtures.

Should he make his injury comeback in the second half of this season, the Blues would still require to find space in their 25-man Football League squad to accommodate him.

The solution could be sending Kosznovszky out on loan for game time - although Pompey’s head coach insists that is not under consideration.

‘He is still a long way away, we are going to take our time’

Mousinho told The News: ‘Mark is all right. He’s been out on the grass, joined in with some passing drills and a couple of possession drills, but no contact at the moment.

‘He is still a long way away, we are going to take our time with Mark, we are looking at the back end of December or January. He’s doing pretty well, he now has the benefit of using Joe Morrell in that end-stage rehab as well.

‘We’ll have to be patient with Mark when he comes back because he’s been out for so long, but he’ll play this season, we’ll get him back into the fold this season.

‘We won’t loan him, the plans are to have him as a first-team player here, that’s why we bought him. I’m looking forward to Mark coming back, it’s going to be a couple of months, but it will be great to have him back.

‘He was coming into a really good bit of form at the time of his injury. He played at Derby and was very good, then started the QPR game at home. After coming on against Charlton, unfortunately he got injured.

‘Mark was one that had taken that time to adjust to the level of the Championship, but showed some really encouraging signs and really bright sparks.’

ACL and MCL damage in horror injury

Such was the severity of Kosznovszky’s injury, he sustained both ACL and MCL damage to his knee, although only the former required an operation.

The Hungarian had been on the pitch for just 20 minutes against Charlton, having been introduced as a second-half substitute, and was replaced five minutes from time by Ibane Bowat.

At the time his absence was anticipated to be between 9-12 months, with December 29 marking that unwanted one-year anniversary.

And Mousinho has every sympathy for the 24-year-old, who suffered that devastating injury just six months after moving to England.

‘It’s a properly brutal place to be’

He added: ‘It’s not a nice place to be, you can almost guarantee that every player who has been through this comes out the back end stronger mentally, stronger physically.

‘Mark will do that 100 per cent. It’s a proper test, being a footballer is the best life ever when things are going well - and when they are not, it’s a properly brutal place to be. There’s no worse place to be than the physio room.

‘I know he’s still being paid and coming here every day, but the mental torment of not being able to do what you do.

‘There aren't many jobs when, all of a sudden, you can’t do your job any more and have to sit on an ice machine for 12 months. That’s a tough place to be - and Mark will come back stronger, I know it.’

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