'We're in the dark': Mystery over Portsmouth man's future continues amid West Brom, Birmingham and Charlton links

And he has no idea whether the midfielder will be present for next Monday’s pre-season training return.

Mingi has still to indicate to the Blues whether the three-year contract they tabled in December will be signed.

In the meantime, it is understood his representatives are exploring whether alternative interest exists in the Championship, League One and League Two.

Certainly Mingi is well within his rights to seek other options, a scenario Mousinho is comfortable with.

However, the 22-year-old will be rendered a free agent on July 1 if he doesn’t relay his decision to the Blues before then.

Mousinho told The News: ‘The contract offer is still on the table and we will catch up with it this week and see how it develops – ultimately the decision is still in Jay’s hands.

‘It’s ongoing, we haven’t pushed him on it, if he wants to come back to us and take it then great, we’ll see how that goes towards the back end of June.

‘At this moment in time I don’t know if he’ll go, there are probably a few options that Jay is exploring. Whether those options are more attractive than Pompey, I genuinely don’t know, it’s probably a bit up in the air.

‘In terms of being in the dark, we have accepted that, with the contract offer on the table, he’s free to speak to other clubs. We don’t know who they are and don’t know the extent of those conversations.

‘Maybe Jay will call us tomorrow and say he’s going elsewhere. To that extent, I suppose we are in the dark.

‘It’s not a negative, it’s just the way it is with these situations. The players have that option and that’s absolutely fine.

‘Either way for us, depending on what happens, the compensation isn’t a huge concern, not to be flippant with the money.

‘More importantly for us, if Jay decides to sign the contract then great. We can knuckle down and see where he fits into the squad and try to get the most out of him.’

Pompey have this summer bolstered central midfield options with the signing of Terry Devlin from Glenarvon.

He joins Joe Morrell, Marlon Pack, Tom Lowery and Harry Jewitt-White in that area of the team.

Although it remains highly unlikely that Mingi will be joining them.

Mounsinho added: ‘There’s only so much we can do.

‘We have put the offer on the table and, if he wants to go elsewhere, we won’t hold it against him.

‘That’s his option and fair play to him.’