Portsmouth boss addresses Brentford starlet's Fratton Park future after cruel long-term injury
The England Under-20 international is on a season-long loan at Fratton Park
John Mousinho is adamant Pompey will not cut short Benjy Arthur’s impressive stay, despite sustaining a long-term injury.
According to the Blues’ head coach, the 20-year-old’s injury didn’t occur in a match or during a training session, instead being a problem which has developed over time.
Now Pompey must plan how to cope without the outstanding Arthur for the remainder of 2026, particularly having also lost central-defensive partner Conor Shaughnessy in the same week.
The former Rangers man last month arrived at Fratton Park on a season-long loan - and Mousinho still has every intention of fulfilling the arrangement.
He is a proper athlete and I just think it’s really unlucky.
He told The News: ‘Benjy has picked up a stress fracture in his back and he is gutted, we’re all gutted.
‘It’s probably going to keep him out for at least 12 weeks and is one of those that’s a massive blow to all of us.
‘I don’t think the injury is wear and tear, he’s 20 and hasn’t played many games, so it’s one of those things where you are really unfortunate. He is a proper athlete and I just think it’s really unlucky.
‘When it’s a stress fracture, it manifests itself over time, it doesn’t happen in one particular game or a training session. There’s nothing you can really do about it.
‘Absolutely we plan to keep him still. He’s really good, you've seen him play! Why on earth would we send him back?’
Six Pompey appearances
Arthur’s arrival from the Premier League signalled the loan exits of fellow centre-halves Hayden Matthews and Josh Knight to League One in search of regular first-team football.
In contrast, the former Peterborough youngster has gone on to make six Pompey appearances, of which five have been Championship starts.
After coming off the bench against QPR in August for his debut, Arthur dislodged Regan Poole from the team at Lincoln to partner Shaughnessy in the centre of defence.
The double act was beginning to blossom, registering successive clean sheets against Cardiff and Charlton, before the Brentford starlet was diagnosed with a fractured back.
Instead Madiodio Dia took his place in Saturday’s visit of Blackburn, only for Shaughnessy to then leave the pitch on 63 minutes with a groin injury.
With Shaughnessy potentially now joining Arthur on the sidelines, Dia and Regan Poole are in the frame to be the centre-half partnership for the visit to Southampton on October 11.
In the meantime, Arthur will be aiming for an anticipated comeback in the New Year, when the majority of loans have a recall option.
‘He looked every inch a Championship player’
Mousinho added: ‘Benjy’s gutted because he has started the season so well.
‘He has looked every inch a Championship player and, while it’s always difficult with players, I don’t think his head’s going to fall off his shoulders.
‘I looked at it and thought we would probably have him for this season in the Championship - and this would be the last time we’d see him at this level. So I’m really disappointed.’