Portsmouth defender transfer latest as Dundee starlet’s chased with QPR and Sheffield United
The Pompey boss updates on how things stand over defensive transfer strengthening after losing Conor Shaughnessy.
Pompey’s sturdy Watford defensive showing will not deter them from their pursuit of Luke Graham.
And John Mousinho has admitted he would bring in two new defenders in the January transfer window following Conor Shaughnessy’s potential long-term loss to injury.
Mousinho on back line: ‘Paramount we strengthen defensively’
The Blues are pushing on with their recruitment this month with three players now in the building in Millenic Alli, Ebou Adams and Keshi Anderson.
Pompey are dealing with the worrying loss of Shaughnessy to a squad issue, which could keep him sidelined for up to three months.
That was a big concern going into Wednesday’s trip to Vicarage Road, but Mousinho’s side turned in a decent display with Connor Ogilvie shining alongside Regan Poole in the middle of the back line.
That put the requirement for a new defender in focus, with Graham known to be a January target reportedly along with QPR and Sheffield United.
As much as Mousinho was encouraged by what he saw against the play-off chasers, he still wants central defensive reinforcements.
He said: ‘The performance at Watford defensively was excellent but, when you break it down, we have a right-back playing at left-back, a left-back playing centre-half and a midfielder playing centre-half, though we have options to do something different there.
‘So, as good as the performance was, I still think there’s been too many times this season where there’s been false dawns. There’s been good performances, then we haven’t followed them up and then lost a couple of players.
‘So it’s still absolutely paramount to me that we strengthen the department defensively.
‘There’s no scenario where I think we’re stronger without Shaughs and the lads stepped up at Watford, but I still think we need to strengthen that area.
‘It could do (work out a few ways) but my preference would still be to have Connor (Ogilvie) as the left-back choice and see if we can strengthen at centre-half.
‘We looked at players last season who looked like they were available at the start of January, all of a sudden they were then playing regularly in the Championship.
‘So you never really know, sometimes you have to take what’s in front of you.’
Pompey boss on 2 new defenders: ‘Probably would at this stage’
With Hayden Matthews and Josh Knight both sidelined, Pompey were in the market for a new centre-back before Shaughnessy was injured at Sheffield Wednesday.
So Mousinho would now potentially take two new additions in that area, though that has to be balanced off against signings in other areas of the pitch and the EFL’s 25-man squad rules.
He added ‘As soon as we heard the potential news over Shaughs we were scouring the market for solutions.
‘We first have to fit everything in with squad numbers and balancing what we have at our disposal.
‘There’s still a couple of areas we need strengthening in, but If you said we could do two (defenders) I probably would at this stage. We’d probably have balance it off, though.
‘All those things fall into place when you start to get deals done.
‘We’ve got those three deals done so we’re thinking we’ve strengthened out wide and the midfield department - so what’s next off the back of that?
‘When one thing falls into place, the others become a bit easier.’