'The main club I want talking to my agent is Portsmouth. And they're not talking': Ex-Millwall and Sunderland man Aiden O'Brien on desperation to remain at Fratton Park

The 28-year-old is waiting for his Blues future to be clarified, having been assured by Danny Cowley that he wants him to remain.

The energetic attacker has proven a massive hit with the Fratton faithful since his January arrival on a short-term deal from Sunderland, registering five times amid some eye-catching displays.

However, O’Brien is among 12 players whose deals expire this summer.

And while the ex-Millwall man has voiced his eagerness to remain, he insists Pompey have still to open negotiations with his agent.

O’Brien told The News: ‘I have spoken to the manager a few times. We’ve both said we want to get this done, he wants me on board next year, 100 per cent.

‘But the conversions which really need to be done are upstairs with my agent – and that hasn’t happened once yet.

‘If everything is right with the deal and certain things, I want to play for Pompey next year, but we just need to get the ball rolling.

‘Pompey is my priority. I love it here, absolutely love it here. I’ve hit the ground running, the fans have taken to me, the players have been ledge, the manager and staff have been really good to me.

‘I don’t want to up and leave, I want to keep going, but that needs to be done with my agent and the board.

‘I have been texting my agent every other day and asking whether he has been contacted by them and he says “No, no, no, no”.

‘I expect him to be contacted in the next week or so, but, as it stands, I’m in limbo.

‘I’m off-season now, I’m basically unemployed, I have other clubs which my agent is telling me are talking to him – but the main club I want talking to him is Pompey. And they’re not talking.

‘There are clearly other things which need to be done at Pompey, which is fine, others are out of contract too, but I genuinely thought they would have been in contract talks for the last month.

‘Hopefully my agent will be contacted soon and we can get something sorted because I have unfinished business.’

Next Monday, O’Brien and his young family will move out of the club-owned Gunwharf apartment serving as their home since January and return to London.

His four-month-old son, Mariano, has been a regular at Fratton Park to watch his dad – and the Irishman is keen to relocate to the south coast permanently.

He added: ‘Hopefully in the next couple of months I’ll be returning, but, for now, it’s goodbye to the apartment and Gunwharf.

‘I have mentioned to my agent that I want to be buying somewhere down here, get a little place where we can say is home for now.

‘That takes time, that’s why I wanted the ball rolling a while ago so I can start setting foundations.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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