Portsmouth tipped for transfer windfall as Colchester braced to cash in on ex-Charlton man

Danny Cowley has told Pompey to expect a summer financial windfall from the sale of Jay Mingi.

The Colchester boss is braced to lose the 23-year-old during the close season, claiming Championship and League One clubs are hovering.

Mingi rejected a three-year Fratton Park deal last summer in favour of becoming a free agent, eventually earning himself a two-year contract with United in September.

Under terms of the deal, the Blues received around £30,000 in training compensation, while a sell-on clause was also included.

And with Mingi having shone during his maiden Colchester season, albeit often in the unfamiliar role of centre-half, Cowley admits he anticipates a summer sale.

Pompey’s former head coach told The News: ‘Jay has played a lot at right centre-half, he has been brilliant, he has done fantastic.

‘Last summer, I actually spoke with Colchester’s recruitment guys at the time, Dmitri Halajko and Ross Embleton, and of course I gave Jay a really good reference. We were really pleased to then inherit him when we got to Colchester.

‘But I don’t think we’ll hang onto him, I think he’s gone. I have a feeling there will be some finance coming back to Pompey because he’s done brilliantly for us, he’s far too athletic for League Two.

‘We would love to keep him, but my feeling is there are a lot of Championship and League One clubs that are very keen to sign him.

‘Jay has the athleticism to be able to play anywhere on the pitch because he’s an incredible athlete, he has some incredible technical skills that allow him to speed the game up. He can execute at speed.

‘I’ve been lucky enough to manage in eight of the top nine divisions and everyone asks me what the definer is - and probably it’s the ability to execute your skills at speed. 

‘If you can do that, then you can play in the Championship and beyond. If you can’t, then there’s probably a ceiling on the level you can play.’

Mingi made 28 appearances as Colchester avoided relegation from League Two on the final day of the campaign.

However, a hamstring injury sidelined him for two-and-a-half months, returning to fitness after Cowley had been appointed head coach in January.

The former Charlton man previously made 29 appearances for Pompey, scoring once, after arriving as a free transfer in September 2021.

Cowley added: ‘Last season at Pompey, he had a brilliant spell with us.

‘We had a lot of injuries at the time and he came in against Forest Green (October 2022) and played very well and had a really good run in the team. Unfortunately, when we left, he found himself outside the side.’