John Mousinho provides update over Florian Bianchini’s Portsmouth future amid Swansea City recall option
Florian Bianchini has registered just one assist in his 11 Pompey appearances during his season-long loan from Swansea City.
John Mousinho has revealed Swansea City remain happy with Florian Bianchini’s Pompey stay and currently have no plans to recall the forward this month.
And the Blues boss has focused his attention on getting the winger back in action after a spell on the sidelines with a knee injury.
The 24-year-old has struggled during his season-long stint on the south coast, which has seen him register just one assist in his 11 outings in all competitions.
The Frenchman has started just five league games of Pompey’s opening 24 matches of the campaign to date, with the majority of his displays coming from the bench.
However, Bianchini has missed more than a month’s worth of action due to tendonitis in the knee, which has forced him to sit out all of the Blues’ previous six fixtures.
John Mousinho on Swansea loanee’s Pompey future
And while Tottenham Hotspur recalled Minhyeok Yang from his Fratton Park agreement to move to Championship leaders Coventry City earlier in the week, there are currently no plans from Swansea to bring the young forward back to South Wales this month.
The Blues are also unable to call time on the forward’s unsuccessful stay at PO4 in January as part of his season-long agreement with the Swans.
Mousinho, though, has stressed there has been no change in stance from Vitor Matos’ side over a possible recall for Bianchini, with the head coach instead signalling his intent at getting the winger back in action as injuries continue to affect his squad.
The Blues boss told The News: ‘At the moment there’s no change for him and there’s no change from Swansea, in terms of them wanting to recall him.
‘They are happy for him to stay with us for the rest of the season, it’s just about us trying to get him fit.
‘I think we have to just get him fit first and then we can go from there.’
Pompey’s current loan options
Following Minhyeok’s departure on Tuesday evening, Bianchini and Conor Chaplin now remain as Pompey’s two loan options for the second half of the season.
This means the Blues can still recruit at least three loan additions in the window as Mousinho looks to strengthen his ranks for a hugely-important run in.
‘Conor is likely to stay,’ Mousinho told The News on Thursday.
‘We had a brief conversation with Ipswich on Sunday, and the intention is for him to stay for the season.
‘You never know, but the difference with Conor compared to Minhyeok (Yang) is Spurs can recall him and send him back out again, whereas if Conor’s recalled he can only play for Ipswich because he’s already played for them this season. That puts us in a stronger position.
‘I haven’t spoken to him about a recall, but there’s loads to come from Chappers.
‘He’s given us a huge amount, in terms of what he’s done as a leader.
‘He’s come in and grown into his role over the past five or six weeks, now there’s that big part of his offensive game we think we can really build on.
‘He’s really good at dropping deep, building play and he’s really good with the press. Now adding goals and assists to his game will take it to the next level for us.’