'Not quite his best': Portsmouth boss' stance on huge favourite amid early-season concerns

John Mousinho believes 2025-26 Player of the Season Terry Devlin is still ‘not quite his best’ after a difficult start to the season.

And the head coach admitted the right-back is still feeling the effects of the serious hamstring which curtailed his campaign last term.

The Northern Ireland international enjoyed a brilliant 2025-26 season, with his stock at a career high following an impressive Championship emergence.

Devlin stormed to a clean sweep in the Blues’ end-of-year awards after solidifying himself at right-back, which saw him total 40 appearances and net five goals in all competitions.

But the 22-year-old missed the final three matches of the campaign after suffering a serious hamstring injury in the 1-0 win over Leicester City at Fratton Park in April.

Pompey boss addresses favourite’s early-season form

The defender was forced to sit out Northern Ireland’s summer international camp in June before later returning to action for the Blues in pre-season.

Despite starting all of Pompey’s opening seven matches in all competitions this term, Devlin has struggled to hit last season’s impressive form in the early weeks.

And Mousinho admitted the huge favourite is still feeling the impact of the serious hamstring issue sustained earlier this year.

When asked if he feels the defender is back to his best, the Blues said: ‘Maybe not quite his best but I think Terry has been a really solid performer for us and he’s getting there off the back of an injury.

‘He had a really serious injury at the back end of last year and just recovering from that has been big for him.’

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Transfer interest in Pompey’s star man

Interest in Devlin from higher up the footballing pyramid was expected by Pompey heading into the window after his stock and value rapidly soared after his excellent emergence.

Wrexham had a £2m bid for the 22-year-old’s services knocked back in January and were anticipated to return with a fresh pursuit this summer.

The Red Dragons moved on to pursue other targets in the window, subsequently signing Crystal Palace’s Danny Imray in a £5m deal as well as Manchester City’s Issa Kabore.

Speaking earlier this month, sporting director Rich Hughes reiterated the Blues received no bids during the summer for prized assets Devlin and Adrian Segecic.

He said: ‘No formal bids for either. There was a lot of noise - in the most respectful term - around the players.

‘The club are in a relatively strong position contractually on both of them and ultimately when no bids are made, there’s no decision to be made.

‘We had a lot of conversations internally around where things might go and how alternative scenarios may play out because that’s our job as a football club.

‘But when no bids are formalised, it makes it quite a simple process for the football club to follow through on that there’s no formal bids for the players so no plans were put into action.’

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