‘Still our player’: Portsmouth boss delivers Callum Lang bid latest amid £1.75m Preston North End pursuit

And the Pompey boss insisted the League One title winner is ‘very much still our player’ and remains at Fratton Park, as their Championship rivals pursue their attacker.

Mousinho acknowledged talks are going on over a switch to Deepdale for the Scouser, however, with a move firmly in the offing ahead of Monday’s 7pm transfer deadline.

But there’s still a distance to travel to see the deal to completion - with the head coach happy to see the 27-year-old stay if Preston can’t get a transfer over the line.

Mousinho exclusively told The News this evening: ‘There’s no movement on Callum, it was a football decision in terms of protecting him.

‘I’ll catch up with Rich (Hughes) and the board, but there’s nothing in terms of a bid accepted from our side.

‘There’s things rumbling on in the background, but the decision not to have Callum involved today was purely on football merit. He’s trained all week so no problems there, we’ll see how that pans out.

‘He was in yesterday so that hasn’t happened (he’d said his goodbyes to his team-mates). I do like these rumours, there’s quite a few from the training ground - but there’s nothing in that.

‘Yes (he’s still at the club), he would’ve have been doing his bits (at the training ground). When it comes to matchday, the players not in the squad will be professional and do their bits in and around the training ground.

‘Callum is very much committed to the football club - and very much still our player. We’ll see how that pans out over the next couple of days. If he’s still here Tuesday then great.

Mousinho made it clear the reason Lang wasn’t involved against West Brom today was because he didn’t want to risk the Wigan signing, who is completing his return from a month-long hamstring absence. The Pompey boss expressed a genuine uncertainty over whether Lang will be his player beyond Monday evening, however.

When asked if he thinks Lang will go, Mousinho added: ‘I don’t know, it’s something I’ve kept myself away from.

‘I felt the injury risk was too great. If he’s on the bench today I wouldn’t have used him, I didn’t want him to come back too early and tear his hamstring. That’s happened a couple of times in the past.

‘I don’t know (if Lang will go) I keep myself away from that (transfer discussions) as matchday nears.’