The exciting attacking link-up Portsmouth are closing in on

And the door has been left open for an exciting link-up with Ronan Curtis in the same attacking line-up by Kenny Jackett.

The Blues boss can see a path to the duo playing in the same starting XI, after competing for a left wing berth this season.

Jacobs returned to training yesterday with the hope of a first-team comeback next week, following three weeks out with a hamstring injury.

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And, after Curtis’ move to a striking role against Oxford United on Tuesday night, that paves the way for an intriguing prospect of the pair playing together.

Jackett said: ‘For Ronan, up front is where he wants to play.

‘He does think he’ll get more goalscoring opportunities up there - and scoring is a big part of his game.

‘For Michael Jacobs then he has a lot of experience playing left wing, although he can play on the right as well. Currently we have Harness and Williams competing there, though.

‘We’ve got Harvey (White) in the club as well now which does increase our options, albeit he’s a slightly different player.

‘For us anyway it’s 100 per cent an option for Ronan to go up front and Michael Jacobs on the wing.’

Jacobs gave Pompey a boost yesterday, but this weekend’s clash with Gillingham will come too soon for the 29-year-old.

Jackett stressed the importance of holding the former Wigan man back to avoid a recurrence of the problem.

He added: ‘Michael’s trained today for the first time.

‘He won’t be available for this weekend, but we’ll see how next week goes.

‘With the hamstring it’s been three weeks so he should be fine and he’s back in training.

‘We don’t want him to have another injury.

‘There’s not a lot he could’ve done about the tackle at Sunderland, but it’s a very niggly hamstring injury which has interrupted his season.

‘So we want to get him back and keep him fit, because it’s the run-in now and it’s a big time.’

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