Portsmouth transfer rumours: Blackpool and Leyton Orient emerge as rivals for Liverpool yoingster who Blues admire

Pompey have company in their admiration for Liverpool youngster Harvey Blair.

But while the Blues have already played down the possibility of a January move for the taltened 20-year-old, there’s League One rivals currently weighing up moves for the winger.

According to the Daily Mail, Blackpool – who are managed by former Reds under-23 boss Neil Critchley – are keen to secure a loan deal for Blair. The Bloomfield Road side today announced a temporary move for Middlesbrough utility man Hayden Coulson, but they are also reportedly willing to add the Liverpool Academy player to their ranks as a promotion push over the second half of the season is targetted.

Leyton Orient, who travel to Fratton Park on Saturday, are also showing interest – as are 20th-placed Reading, who are desperate to move away from trouble at the wrong end of the table. Clubs from Belgium and Denmark are also, reportedly, monotoring the situation.

Blair has featured just twice for Liverpool’s under-21s this season, with both appearances coming last month, following a knee injury. Talk of a potential move to Pompey emerged last July – yet it emerged that the Blues were willing to wait 12 months before following up any interest as they had concerns whether a full season in League One was too much for the Huddersfield-born ace.

The subject resurfaced again in December. However, head coach John Mousinho said a move was uinlikely – despite at least one winger being on his January wish-list.

He told The News: ‘It’s not one which is on our radar. He’s one which has been mentioned for a few years in any recruitment circles, but not something we’re looking at at the moment.

‘We’d never turn down good players for the sake of it, but we have to make sure the squad balance is right and we don’t over-inflate in positions. We’ll always keep an eye on these things, and as a player fantastic, but in terms of coming across our radar, our recruitment and where we want to go it’s not something we’re looking at in this moment.’