Coventry City in talks with £4.2m-rated forward wanted by Portsmouth in summer transfer window
Pompey have been long-term admirers of forward Abdoulie Manneh - yet he could be about to join a Championship rival
Coventry City have reportedly entered negotiations with recently-crowned Allsvenskan champions Mjallby AIF over a January transfer window move for Abdoulie Manneh - a player Pompey have admired for a significant period.
According to Swedish outlet Expressen, the Championship leaders are currently talking to the Hällevik-based side ahead of a move they believe could be wrapped up within a couple of weeks.
It’s also their understanding that the fee being discussed would represent a record transfer fee received by Mjallby, who secured their very first top-flight crown last month. The News understands that Manneh was valued at around £4.2m when Pompey made enquiries about him early in the summer transfer window.
Gambia international Manneh played a key role in Mjallby’s success this season as he scored seven goals and registered four assists as Anders Torstensson’s side won the title with three games to spare.
That took the 21-year-old’s goal contributions to 17 (goals and assists) since arriving at Mjallby on trial in January 2024.
Frank Lampard’s Coventry are currently top of the Championship table with a three-point advantage over Middlesbrough after 13 games. The Sky Blues, who beat Pompey 2-1 at Fratton Park last month, are also the division’s top scorers, with 36 goals scored to date.
Pompey’s interest in Abdoulie Manneh
Pompey’s interest in Manneh emerged in May - just weeks after the Blues secured their place in the Championship for another season.
But while both the player and Mjallby were open to making a move to Fratton Park happen, Pompey reluctantly ended their pursuit in June.
At the time, The News understood there was a growing acceptance within the corridors of power at Fratton Park that the £4.2m-rated attacker’s talents would see him swap the Allsvenskan for a club in one of Europe’s top leagues.
The Blues’ instincts proved correct, with Manneh set to join Greek giants Olympiacos. Yet that transfer collapsed at the last minute after the Athens-based club changed the terms of the contract on offer.
In September, transfer guru Alan Nixon, via his Patreon account, claimed Pompey had re-entered the race to land Manneh. In fact, he said that the Blues had already struck a deal to bring the forward to Fratton Park in January.
However, rather bizarrely, the same article said that Mjallby are unaware of any agreement reached with any club for the in-demand Gambia international.
Pompey’s goalscoring troubles this season
Pompey have struggled for goals this season, with the Blues the Championship’s current lowest goalscorers alongside Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United (10).
Saturday’s 4-0 defeat to Birmingham was their second consecutive game without finding the back of the net, with Mark Kosznovzky’s late effort their only shot on target at St Andrew’s.
That game also saw head coach John Mousinho drop main striker Colby Bishop, who has scored just one goal this term, and Conor Chaplin - who is yet to register a goal contribution following his loan move from Ipswich Town on transfer deadline day.
The duo are expected to return to Pompey’s starting line-up against Wrexham on Wednesday night, though, alongside Josh Murphy, who has been eased back into a playing return following an ankle injury.
The Blues’ current top scorer is Adrian Segecic with three goals.