'I'm not so sure now' - Verdict given on Luton Town loanee's chances of staying at Portsmouth beyond this season
Pompey loanee Millenic Alli’s contract at Luton expires at the end of the season - but the Hatters reportedly have the option of another 12 months
Pompey will have to weigh up whether Millenic Alli represents value for money when his Fratton Park loan stay expires end at the end of the season.
That’s the honest verdict of The News’ Neil Allen, who believes the on-loan Luton winger’s inconsistent performances for the Blues since his January arrival will give the Fratton Park side something to seriously consider as his PO4 stint draws to a close.
None of Pompey’s seven January arrivals have played more for John Mousinho’s side over the second half of the season than Alli.
Already, the former Exeter CIty forward has racked up 19 appearances for the Blues as they stand on the brink of securing Championship football for a third consecutive year.
Seventeen of those outings have come in the way as starts, while the Republic of Ireland man has three important goal contributions to his name with three games of the season remaining - including a goal and an assist in the crucial 3-0 win over West Brom back on January 31.
Yet Alli’s Pompey career to date has also seen his form fluctuate massively, while lapses in concentration have also cost the Blues vital points at important stages of the campaign.
The winger gave the Fratton faithful a reminder of what he can do with a terrific performance in last week’s win against Ipswich. But he also proved how frustrating he can be when he failed to get a shot off when one-on-one with Leicester keeper Asmir Begovic in Saturday’s 1-0 victory against the Foxes.
There were also a couple of groans from the stands when the Luton loanee failed to retain possession as Mousinho’s side attempted to protect their lead.
And it for those reasons, coupled with his contract at Kenilworth Road, why Allen believes Pompey might decide against making his Fratton Park stay into a permanent one.
Alli ‘deserves a lot of credit’
Speaking about Alli’s Blues future on the latest episode of Pompey Talk, The News’ chief sports writer said: ‘Pompey will probably have to weigh up whether he's going to be value for money.
‘At one point in the season I would have said definitely sign him. I'm not sure now, really not sure.
‘His inconsistencies have come through, he's been up and down, it's been hugely frustrating.
‘John Mousinho believes in him, he's constantly backed him as well, it was all about how Pompey overworked him in the first period of his loan down here.
‘But since the end of February his performances haven't been good enough overall. In fact, you take away Ipswich and they've been really, really poor, substandard.
‘But he gives you something. He makes that mistake against Oxford, he then creates something, doesn't he?
‘He won the corner from Middlesbrough on the break, and Pompey score from that.
‘I think he's made a good impact on Pompey, been a big figure in this survival fight as well, so he deserves a lot of credit for that.
‘But I'm not sure whether he's a player for Pompey going forward.’