The tormentor Portsmouth clamoured for now chased by Championship rivals QPR and Charlton Athletic

He was the explosive, young talent who put Pompey to the sword and himself firmly on the radar of supporters.

The Blues travelled to the illustrious confines of Chelsea’s Cobham training base in the summer of 2021, and were put defeated by a late super show which got everyone talking.

Chelsea teen star catching eye at Cobham

Malik Mothersille was the 17-year-old who so caught the eye that summer’s evening, with a two-goal salvo to sink Danny Cowley’s men in the Premier League under-23 side’s victory.

It’s clear Pompey fans never forgot that moment, a fact underlined when assistant head coach Jon Harley arrived at Fratton Park in February 2023.

Harley joined John Mousinho’s first-team set-up from Chelsea, where he made his first steps as coach after leaving a Pompey in financial disarray at the end of his playing days back in 2013.

Roles with the Londoner’s academy and development squad, meant Blues fans knew the former left-back was well placed to offer judgement on Mothersille.

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And they weren’t shy of asking Harley his view either, as he revealed the now Peterborough striker was the player fans would often press him about back in the summer of 2023.

That’s when there was plenty of talk circulating over Pompey raiding Harley’s old club for their young talent, with Mothersille becoming a free agent in that period.

In the event it was Tino Anjorin the Blues football operation were following most keenly, with a season-long deal for the man now eyed by the likes of Italian giants Juventus agreed at the end of the window.

Mothersille instead joined up with Peterborough, where his stock has risen amid a couple of campaigns of League One football.

Championship calling Peterborough prospect

Now, according to reports, Championship rivals QPR and Charlton are keen on taking the striker to the second tier next season where he would face Pompey once again.

Mothersille has bagged 22 goals in 90 appearances for the Posh in all competitions and finished a difficult season for his club as their top scorer last term with 12 efforts, while also producing nine assists.

The pacy operator’s goals contributions have now also seen him come to the attention of Jamaica boss Steve McLaren.

Mothersille received an international call-up for the Reggae Boyz’ recent Unity Cup clash with Nigeria, at the Gtech Community Stadium earlier this month. That included a 30-minute runout off the bench for the Croydon-born talent, as the Super Eagles ran out winners on penalty after the game finished 2-2 in normal time.

Pompey are looking for attacking reinforcements this summer, with Aussie Adrian Segecic set to be the first new face to arrive at PO4 - as the Blues win the race for the Sydney FC ace.

Pompey will pursue further additions in the forward area, with an option to push Colby Bishop required. They were also today linked with a move for Brescia’s teenage winger Patrick Nuamah.

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