How Portsmouth won the transfer battle for in-demand Sydney FC attacking midfielder Adrian Segecic - and what they can expect

It’s fair to say the vast majority of Pompey fans wouldn’t have been familiar with the name Adrian Segecic before last weekend.

But fast forward approximately 72 hours and the 21-year-old Aussie is suddenly the hottest topic among the Fratton faithful.

With the Blues closing in on a free transfer deal to make the Sydney FC forward their first signing of the summer this week, the Socceroos under-23 international has gone from relative unknown in these parts to a man set to have 20,000-plus Blues supporters chanting his name on the PO4 pitch.

As a result, his life is never going to be the same again. But that will represent an exciting prospect as far as the rising star of the A-League is concerned.

The lure of Fratton Park

Indeed, the famous Fratton roar was a key factor that helped Segecic chose Pompey ahead of a host of other European clubs and MLS sides who were left impressed by a stellar 2024-25 campaign for the Sky Blues that produced not just 18 goals and three assists but also a host of personal accolades at both club and league level.

The Blues’ first home game of the 2025-26 Championship season is already something the player is hugely excited about experiencing - a reputation which has no doubt been fuelled by the positive reports being fed back to him from former Sydney team-mate and friend Hayden Matthews, and Jacob Farrell, whom Segecic knows well from their time together representing Australia at youth-team level.

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John Mousinho impresses Adrian Segecic

Head coach John Mousinho’s presence at the centre of Pompey’s footballing operations was also a major ingredient in the deal to lure the exciting talent to the south coast.

As has been mentioned here and in other reports, Segecic wasn’t short of offers when it came to choosing the course of his next career path. Clubs on this side of the Atlantic from the Premier League, Scotland, Germany, Holland, Belgium and Austria have been battling it out for his signature in recent months. Meanwhile, the States was an option if he so wished, too.

Greater financial terms than what Pompey are offering will also have been presented to him as well. But it’s my understanding that money is not what drives Segecic every day on the training ground and on a match-day.

It’s the project that excites him the most; the belief that his would-be new manager has in his undoubted ability that motivates him to reach new heights; how he fits into the system, and the personal relationship he can develop with the head coach that really matters.

On all four counts, it’s believed Mousinho - who has worked wonders at Fratton Park following his surprise appointment in January 2023 - stood head and shoulders above anyone else the in-demand attacker chose to speak to.

What can Pompey fans expect from Adrian Segecic

The time and effort the Pompey boss - plus sporting director Rich Hughes and Brad Wall - put into making the Blues an attractive proposition clearly worked, with Segecic expected to complete his move by the end of the week.

But what can the Fratton faithful expect from their latest Aussie arrival and first signing of the 2025 summer transfer window?

According to A-League expert and former Ipswich player Tommy Oar, Segecic plays with ‘grit between his teeth’, operates like he’s ‘got something to prove’ each time he enters the pitch and is ‘relentless with his energy’.

Tenacious, hungry, determined and aggressive are other qualities the player brings to his play, I’m told. Indeed, despite his 5”8” stature, Segecic isn’t someone who shirks from a tackle. Far from it, with the attacking midfielder often wanting to single out his biggest and toughest opponent on a match day to ensure they know he’s no pushover, if your know what I mean!

They’re qualities that will make him an instant hero with the Fratton faithful, who love nothing more than seeing their players produce blood, sweat and tears for the Pompey cause.

But that’s not all Segecic has to offer. His goals and assists for Sydney over the past season demonstrates the attacking qualities he boosts, too. The quality of his passing - as demonstrated by his assist for the ASEAN All-Stars in their recent win over Manchester United - his link-up play and his unselfish nature in forward areas make him a real force in the final third.

Yet the player isn’t afraid to have a pop on goal when the opportunity presents itself, as some of his impressive efforts from long-range proves. Indeed, as someone who loves to move into the space between the No10 and right wing, once the target has been identified, Segecic loves to unleash with that left foot of his.

Where he fits into Mousinho’s system remains to be seen, of course, with Segecic himself knowing that he faces stiff competition to get into the side.

Yet it’s a challenge that genuinely excites Segecic. And he’s something who should excite the fan base as Pompey close in on their first piece of summer transfer business.

For your next Pompey read: Wigan edge ahead of Plymouth in transfer battle for popular Portsmouth man