Pompey recruited 12 new players in the summer transfer window - including three central midfielders.

Pompey are still one player short in the centre of midfield.

That’s the clear verdict of The News’ Blues reporter Jordan Cross, who believes John Mousinho’s side are still missing a ‘Championship ready, front-line’ operator in the engine room.

It was a busy summer at Fratton Park, with 12 players arriving through the doors - including midfielders Odin Bailey, Rocco Shein and Iyad Mohamed - as Pompey splashed the cash.

placeholder image — John Mousinho. | Jason Brown

The trio joined Ebou Adams, John Swift and Marlon Pack in the centre of the park, while Luke Le Roux’s contract was ripped up after the September 1 deadline.

With new-signing Mohamed limited to just substitute appearances so far, this has required 35-year-old Marlon Pack to start five-successive matches in the holding midfield role - an area which was one of the priority positions to strengthen in the window.

The Blues were linked with Gibson Yah, Mate Tuboly and Jesper Ceesay, with a move for the latter falling through after being denied a governing body endorsement (GBE) visa by the FA.

Although three players arrived to bolster Mousinho’s engine room in the summer, Cross feels Pompey are still one Championship-ready operator short in the middle of the park.

Concerning Pompey transfer verdict - with key position not addressed

Speaking on the latest episode of Pompey Talk, he said: ‘If we’re looking at the squad, Pompey’s injuries have been in the wide areas and the centre-back position.

‘The wide areas are players with high output, cover high distances and get more muscular injuries as a result. You can prepare for that.

‘But if you look at the balance of the squad, for me if I was going to pick somewhere I think Pompey are short is in the middle of the park.

‘That’s the place where you’re probably one established senior pro short of where you’d like to be.

‘If I look at the squad, Luke Le Roux has obviously moved on, (Mark) Kosznovszky is out. Rocco Shein has come in and done well but his form has fluctuated so he’s in that period of adapting to a new country.

‘John Swift could be used deeper and Marlon Pack is 35 and he’s not getting any younger, he played his fifth game on the spin on Saturday.

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‘Odin Bailey, could you use him deeper? He’s more of an advanced eight or a No.10 type of player. Ebou Adams is a front-liner and (Iyad) Mohamed has come in as well.

‘Mohamed, though, this is a lad who has come in and brought him on (in matches) for bits and pieces so far and he needs to adapt.

‘But in the here and now in what we’re looking for in terms of Championship ready, front-line midfielders, I think Pompey are still one short in there.

‘Gibson Yah was the first one and then Jesper Ceesay. They were the two they were looking at.

‘Mate Tuboly was also one Pompey did look at but that was an ESC and GBE issue.

‘John’s spoken about how he is really hard to please in terms of what he wants from a midfielder and he gives the recruitment team nightmares because of his demands and what he wants for that position.

‘They went and recruited Mohamed for between €300,000 and €400,000. Now that didn’t quite align in the summer where Pompey have upped their spending into the multi-million pounds.I was expecting some of that pot to be placed into the midfield area.

‘I’m consistent in the way where I don’t want to tar Mohamed with a brush where he’s a €300,000 and €400,000 player, who we judge on that. We’ve got to judge players from what we see on the pitch.

‘I think if you ask John quietly are they a little bit light in that midfield area, he might indicate that was the case.’

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