Revealed: The former Burnley man eyed by Portsmouth this summer before move to Belgium

The News understands the Australian international was strongly considered by the Blues, as they looked to bolster their attacking options.

But a deal for the former Burnley man didn’t accelerate, as he eventually opted for a move to Standard Liege.

The 10-time Belgian champions brought the 24-year-old on a four-year deal, as he left Australian A-League grand finalists Melbourne City for Europe.

O’Neill is familiar with the English game, with the Brisbane-born talent moving to these shores at the age of 14 and coming through the ranks at Turf Moor.

The three-time capped Socceroo made six appearances for the Clarets and had loan spells with Oldham and Fleetwood, before permanently returning to his country of birth three years ago

Pompey may not have seen a deal for O’Neill to fruition, but their interest is further evidence they are prepared to look at different markets this summer.

That has already been seen with promising Northern Ireland teenager Terry Devlin arriving from Glentoran, amid a busy start to the transfer window.

The process of bringing in players from overseas has been simplified for English clubs, following a relaxing of the points requirements of the international visa system.

That will make it easier to bring in talent from abroad which previously fell outside of the Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) criteria - with the new approach approved by the Home Office.

Pompey have also been linked with a move for Aussie striker Kusini Yengi.