Portsmouth boss addresses Fratton future of ex-Nottingham Forest man as D-day looms
The left-back has featured in three Blues friendlies this summer after arriving on trial last month
Pompey will this week decide whether Arvin Appiah has a Fratton Park future.
John Mousinho remains eager to bring in another left-back, despite Zak Swanson continuing his comeback from injury by playing 45 minutes in Saturday’s goalless draw at SV Darmstadt.
With Connor Ogilvie still recovering from a knee operation and Jacob Farrell injured and available for transfer, it’s a position which still concerns the Blues.
Indeed, midfielder Odin Bailey was asked to stand-in at the start of the second half against the Bundesliga 2 side, before Appiah was later introduced for his third outing of pre-season.
And Pompey are weighing up whether to sign former Nottingham Forest £8m man on a free transfer.
’We’ll probably sit down with Triallist A over the next couple of days’
Mousinho told The News: ‘We will see, we’re short at left-back at the moment and we are looking to sign another one.
‘Swanny got 45 minutes against Darmstadt, we then played Odin there in the second half, while Connor (Ogilvie) is still out with the injury.
‘We are a bit short at the moment, but we’ll probably sit down with Triallist A over the next couple of days. He has been great coming in and doing a job for us and getting that involvement.
‘If there’s anything else that he wants to take then great, it might be useful to have him around again this week to keep building his fitness and keep having a look at him.’
Three positions in three friendlies
Appiah has spent more than a fortnight trialling with the Blues following his release from Almeria.
He has fulfilled a variety of positions during his pre-season friendly involvement, including left-back, left wing and right wing - although it is as a full-back the Blues are considering him for.
Appiah’s ongoing presence has certainly been a helpful one considering Mousinho’s injury problems in the left-back and wing areas over the summer.
On Saturday, Swanson started at left-back and featured for 45 minutes, representing his longest outing in pre-season having recovered from April’s knee surgery.
He was replaced at half-time by Bailey, who was signed this summer from Stockport to serve as an attacking midfielder, only to be pressed into a surprise defensive role at Darmstadt.
Appiah was eventually called upon in the 76th minute, replacing Rocco Shein, which allowed Bailey to return to his more natural position in the centre of midfield.
‘It’s good to have him around while we are a bit short.’
Mousinho added: ‘We’re probably in a situation at the moment where part of that is led by the injuries we have - or Swanny not being quite up to it at the moment.
‘Swanny is fine, but 45 minutes was just about right for him on Saturday off the back of where he was last week.
‘It was 30 minutes against Wycombe, 45 minutes this week and building that up. So it’s good to have him (Appiah) around while we are a bit short.’