'Still question marks' - Portsmouth offered words of advice by former Ipswich midfielder as striker deal struck

Tommy Oar made a similar switch from the A-League to Europe in 2010, initially joining Eredivisie side FC Utrecht from Brisbane Roar, before sealing a move to Portman Road five years later.

The 28-times capped ex-midfielder now acts as a pundit Down Under and was asked about 19-year-old Waddingham’s proposed switch to Fratton Park on the latest episode of the Total A-Leagues show.

Oar said he understood why signing for a ‘huge’ club like Pompey would appeal to the Aussie teen sensation, who has four league goals for Brisbane this season. Yet he warned the youngster still had improvements to make to his game.

He said: ‘I think that there are still question marks around him. He still has a lot to learn.

‘But at the same time, as a footballer, you don’t know when these opportunities are going to come back, or if they’re going to come back around again.

‘If an opportunity presents itself to go to a huge club like Portsmouth, I can understand completely why he would jump at that.’

Waddingham needs time

Waddingham is not expected to compete for a Pompey first-team place over the second half of the season once his move has been completed. He’s seen as an exciting project by the Blues and one for the future - despite head coach John Mousinho wanting players for the here and now as the Fratton Park side battle against relegation.

That rings true with Oar’s opinion on the young forward, who believes the Socceroos under-19 international is going to need time to settle into his new surroundings on the south coast.

Referencing his own switch to Europe, he added: ‘I think I was already in the Socceroos (squad) and I’d just been to the 2010 World Cup.

‘I think that going to the national team, I had the national team coach kind of pushing me and saying, this is a good stepping stone for you. So I was kind of being guided from other parties I guess you could say, I’m not sure.

‘I’m not privy to what the situation is with him (Waddingham) in terms of those types of things. But, you know, I don’t think he’s in the Socceroos discussion seriously yet or anything like that.

‘At the same time as well, I think it’d be unfair to expect him to go to Portsmouth now, and if that’s where he is, where he ends up, and kind of, you know, start the ground 100 miles an hour, and be playing every game and scoring goals.

‘I think that it will take time and for him to go over at this age, he probably has a little bit of time.’

Waddingham will become the third Aussie on Pompey’s books once his move is completed, with Kusini Yengi and Jacob Farrell having already made the move to Fratton Park.

Roar boss Ruben Zadkovich confirmed a deal had been struck with a English club in the aftermath of his side’s defeat to Melbourne City on Saturday.

The Blues have beaten off competition from Championship rivals Sheffield Wednesday and QPR to land the exciting talent, who made his Brisbane Roar breakthrough last season with 11 goals in 28 appearances.

Waddingham will become Pompey’s third signing of the January transfer window, with the loans signings of Rob Atkinson and Isaac Hayden already confirmed.