Portsmouth boss delivers transfer latest on Reading target Matt Ritchie - and Abdoulaye Kamara exit update
Pompey are keen to offload the out-of-favour trio before the September 1 deadline
John Mousinho remains confident Reading target Matt Ritchie will leave Pompey before the transfer window shuts.
And he also anticipates Abdoulaye Kamara’s Fratton Park departure being sealed ‘in the next week or so’.
Pompey are well aware of the situation and entirely comfortable with a possible transfer, having indicated they would be willing to cancel the 35-year-old’s contract to smooth the way.
Ironically, Noel Hunt’s men visit Fratton Park on Tuesday night (7.45pm) in the Carabao Cup, with former players Paddy Lane and Mark O’Mahony in the frame to face them.
When asked about the Ritchie situation on the back of Reading interest, Mousinho told The News: ‘No progress on that so far, Matt is still our player. I have no idea what’s going on at the other end of that.
Mousinho: I think he will leave this window
‘I think he will leave this window. You never know, it all depends on how things pan out at whatever club is interested. I am sure there is still plenty of interest in terms of Matt mulling over his options, he will have plenty to think about.
‘That’s something which hopefully can happen. If we can get the right place for Matt then it will be good to see him playing football again.’
Reading have suffered a disappointing start to the League One season, with successive defeats in their opening two matches.
Following a loss to Lincoln, they slipped to a 2-0 defeat to Huddersfield at the weekend, with former Pompey man Jack Whatmough among the scorers.
Lane, who recently joined Hunt’s side, was handed a full debut in a line-up which also included Brighton loanee O’Mahony.
There could well be swift Fratton reunions for the pair tomorrow evening, having both scored for the Blues in the Championship last season as Mousinhi’s men avoided relegation with two matches to spare.
In the meantime, former Reading man Tom McIntyre remains available for transfer, although only returned from injury last week, having missed the entire friendly schedule.
In the case of Abdoulaye Kamara, however, Mousinho believes the Blues are close to offloading the 20-year-old, who was made available for transfer at the start of pre-season.
Including Ritchie, none of the trio have been handed Pompey squad numbers for the 2025-26 season and, even should they stay beyond the September 1 closure of the transfer window, would not be registered for the 25-man Football League squad.
‘Something tied up in the next week or so’
Mousinho added: ‘Abdoulaye is in a similar situation, there are definitely a couple of clubs who are interested. So we are hoping to maybe have something tied up in the next week or so.
‘Tom has been training, he fully trained on Friday, so just needs a bit more time on the training pitch to get back to fitness and then we will see.
‘Certainly if there’s any interest, then we wouldn't stand in Tom’s way.’