LATEST: News on Portsmouth homecoming talk for West Brom favourite amid Luton Town links

But the Pompey window rumour mill has saved one of its biggest surprises and most unlikely gems until the eve of its close.

Jed Wallace was not a player many saw coming when he was linked with a ‘romantic return’ to Fratton Park earlier today.

The News understands, however, that talk is well wide of the mark as the Blues put finishing touches to their summer recruitment.

And even using contacts to confirm that unlikely scenario, this was one where common sense and not an extensive list of those ‘in the know’ would have done the same trick.

Pompey are looking to put the final flourishes to their busy summer of business, with 14 new faces recruited so far.

A new central defender is the priority going into deadline day, though an additional ‘curveball’ can’t be ruled out if the opportunity presents itself.

There’s curveballs however and then there is the bonkers boomerang notion of Wallace arriving back in PO4, which unfortunately doesn’t work for all sorts of reasons.

The obvious place to start is the very substantial deal the 30-year-old would have been afforded, when he was handed a four-year agreement as a free agent when moving to The Hawthorns from Millwall two years ago.

Wallace also has two years to run on his West Brom agreement and would command a very decent fee, with Pompey’s policy to spend on younger players who can be developed as assets.

The Blues have more than doubled their playing budget and have money to spend on transfers, but they aren’t quite at the level to fund a Wallace move just yet with all it entails...

John Mousinho has also indicated he’s now happy with his attacking options, with eight attacking players and five number nines at the club.

And the former Fratton favourite is content and not believed to be agitating for a move from the Baggies, despite Luton Town being another side linked with the former News Player of the Season.

Like we’ve seen with Matt Ritchie this summer, there may one day be time for a Wallace homecoming with the man who spent four years at PO4 maintaining close ties with the club.

But on this occasion, we have to mark down the Jed Wallace transfer talk as one of the more bizarre Pompey links of the summer.