Portsmouth transfer rumour rated 5/10: why Northampton defender and Wycombe and Aberdeen target might not be suitable Blues signing

This has seen 13 players linked so far ahead of the window opening on June 14. This week alone, three more names were added to that ever-growing list.

Various outlets have associated AFC Wimbledon’s Ethan Chislett and Nott County’s Ruben Rodrigues with a switch to Fratton Park, but it’s understood the duo won’t be part of John Mousinho’s overhaul.

Meanwhile, Northampton left-back Ali Koiki is another name who is believed to be on the radar.

Football Insider reported that the 23-year-old is a target of the Blues, Aberdeen, Wycombe and St Mirren.

The defender is out of contract at the end of the month but has been offered fresh terms to remain at Sixfields following their promotion to League One.

It remains to be seen whether Koiki’s future is with the Cobblers or elsewhere following this week’s developments.

Left-back is an area which Mousinho is looking to strengthen in the transfer window.

First-choice Connor Ogilvie had a 12-month option triggered by the club at the end of the season. Meanwhile, Denver Hume still has a year left on his current terms but is expected to leave at some point between now and September.

Yet should the Blues be looking at Koiki as a potential option this summer?

On paper, his injury record is an area of concern - playing just 22 games in League Two last season. A second hamstring injury of the campaign saw him absent from February - seeing him miss Northampton’s promotion run-in to League One.

That does raise early concerns with the Fratton faithful, after they were told Pompey will shift their transfer focus away from injury-prone players.

Nonetheless, when he does play, he has been described as an attacking full-back, who is also strong and well-built.

Despite this, he registered just one assist and failed to score for Northampton last term. In comparison, Pompey’s first-choice Ogilvie netted five times and made two assists in League One.

Koiki made, on average, 3.2 dribbles per 90 minutes in the fourth-tier, which placed him outside the top 30 in the division, with a 58.6 per cent success rate.

With Mousinho looking to add creativity from his full-backs, crosses would be another area which the head coach would look at. However, the Northampton man fell short once again as he failed to make the top 30 for balls into the box in League Two last season. This saw him make, on average,c2.2 crosses per 90 minutes with just 29.2 per cent accurate.

Although he stands at 6”2” tall and weighs 81kg (according to Wyscout), he was placed outside the top 30 for both defensive duels per 90 minutes (7.18) and aerial duels per 90 (3.34). They were followed with a 70.7 and a 44 per cent win percentage respectively.

His stats on paper make for ominous reading, along with his worrying injury record, so a move might be a concern for Mousinho & Co.

Nonetheless, there is room for growth and at 23-year-old he still has his best years ahead of him. Working with Mousinho could unlock that potential with a move reportedly on the cards.

Rumour rating: 5/10.