Portsmouth's lucky escape as Crystal Palace youngster and summer transfer target linked with early return to Selhurst Park

Hindolo Mustapha - an exciting player Pompey boss John Mousinho scouted on numerous occasions last season as he weighed up a summer switch to Fratton Park.

The huge admiration the Blues had in the Crystal Palace attacker, however, didn’t translate into a move to the south coast. Instead, the 19-year-old was snapped up on loan by 2. Bundesliga side FC Nürnberg, who are managed by former German international Miroslav Klose.

With 10 often spectacular goals in 23 Premier League 2 appearances for the Eagles’s under-21s last season, many Pompey fans would have been forgiven for ruing a missed opportunity to land a young talent recently awarded a new three-year deal at Selhurst Park.

Yet, it’s fair to say any lingering regret amid a Blues campaign that has been anything but spectacular could be absorbed on the back of some of the reports on Mustapha’s progress emanating from Germany.

Some of the terminology used by Bild to describe the teenager’s time at Nürnberg include: ‘defensive shortcomings’, ‘lack of work-rate’ and ‘disciplinary issues’ - the short of language that would not go down well with the Fratton faithful if such characterists were on show down here.

Harsh criticism, indeed. But with the attacking midfielder yet to make a match-day squad for Klose’s side - who sit 11th in the second tier of German football - let alone make the team, it’s an assessment that’s hard to ignore.

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It’s even tougher to turn a blind eye to after Klose told Bild last month: ‘It’s important that they have the quality and the right attitude towards the sport. Because I’m not one to push them to run. I might mention it three times, but that’s the maximum I’ll say in individual sessions. And then I’m done.’

Such words have, understandably, seen Mustapha touted with a move back to Palace in January - a return that’s six months ahead of schedule - and a potential loan switch elsewhere in search of senior experience.

Could Pompey follow up their initial interest and reunite the player with former Eagles team-mate Franco Umeh, who is also yet to feature for his new side this season, albeit for totally different reasons?

Who knows! Goals have been hard to come by this season for John Mousinho’s side, making attacking reinforcements a must in next month’s transfer window.

There’s clearly a talented player there. But is he worth the risk?

Back in October, Klose said something very similar to his update last month, which suggests there’s perhaps too much baggage at a crunch time of the season for the Blues.

‘He (Mustapha) has something I like. That’s why I’ll support him, always up to a certain point. But we brought him in because he has to perform here.

‘We need time to settle in, but it won’t work without him. He has to know where our limits are, where everything that starts with discipline comes in.’

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