Portsmouth injury news: John Mousinho provides positive updates on former Arsenal youngster and Charlton January target

Both Zak Swanson and Jay Mingi have largely been absent since the turn of the year because of respective injury issues.

Yet the Blues head coach expects to be able to call upon the duo before the end of the season.

Former Arsenal youngster Swanson has missed the past 17 games with a groin complaint that required surgery. The right-back has featured just three times under Mousinho – all of which are starts – with his last Blues appearance coming against Peterborough on January 28.

Meanwhile, Mingi is yet to play for the new boss at senior level, with a combination of knee and ankle injuries restricting his availability.

The player’s agent told The News last week that the midfielder has been fully fit since mid-February, apart from a rolled ankle suffered earlier this month.

That is something the Blues boss has since refuted. And in his latest update on the player, who reportedly attracted bids from Charlton in January, Mousinho revealed that Mingi is back in contention again after resuming training.

He told The News: 'Jay Mingi was back. He trained, I think, on Friday (April 14), so was back out and fit and back as part of the squad available for selection.'

Swanson, who has 25 appearances for Pompey this season, won’t be considered for Saturday’s visit of Accrington.

But Mousinho is hopeful there will be more positive news ahead of the Derby and Wycombe games.

When asked if Blues fans were likely to see him again before the end of the season, the Blues boss said: 'Zak Swanson, maybe for one of the last two games, hopefully.

'He's been out on the grass, increasing his rehab and getting a bit of sprint work in.

'The issue with Zak is that he's recovering from the operation, I think, two or three week ago, but he's also been out for seven weeks before that - so it's a relatively long-term injury for Zak.

'What we don’t want to do, the last thing we want to do, is rush him back too soon at the back end of the season and he breaks down and isn't ready for the first day of pre-season in the summer.’

Mousinho reported no other injuries following the 1-1 draw at Oxford on Tuesday night.