Transfer latest: Portsmouth target not included in latest match-day squad amid speculation about his future
Pompey are keen to bolster their attacking ranks ahead of the transfer window closing on Monday night
Pompey target Makenzie Kirk has been left out of the St Johnstone match-day squad for their Scottish Championship game against Greenock Morton today.
The striker has emerged as a player the Blues are interested in ahead of the transfer window closing at 7pm on Monday night.
With four goals in seven appearances already this season, following 11 goals for the McDiarmid Park side last term, Pompey view the Northern Ireland under-21 international as a player with a bright future while at the same time bolstering their attacking options now.
The Blues aren’t the only ones with the same opinion of the 21-year-old, though, with Peterborough United having a a bid in the region of £500,000 turned down for the Edinburgh-born frontman this month.
St Johnstone will be happy for the striker to move on if their asking price for Kirk is met. It’s not clear with less than three days of the transfer window remaining whether that will be the case.
However. an indication that a move could be on the cards is the player’s absence altogether from the latest St Johnstone team sheet.
Kirk hasn’t been included in Simo Valakari’s line-up for their latest league game, which is a change in stance from recent games.
Amid continued speculation about his future, the forward has found himself on the bench and didn’t even come on last week during the Saints’ 3-0 win against Arbroath.
Now he’s not even in the squad.
Pompey fans felt huge relief on Saturday when Josh Murphy was named in John Mousinho’s latest starting XI after reports emerged mid-week that he was a late transfer window target for Leicester City.
Latest from St Johnstone on potential outgoing before transfer window closes.
Simo Valakari told The Courier ahead of their game against Morton: ‘It’s more likely that if we sign anyone else, it will be to replace someone who goes out.
‘There are a lot of these transfer window ‘games’ going on now. Some clubs are getting desperate.
‘Other clubs are not that desperate but know that some clubs need to get rid of players and they can wait until the last minute to make a good deal.
‘Some crazy things can still happen. Knowing the transfer window, it will be Monday.’
For your next Pompey read: Portsmouth fans all say same thing as Leicester-linked Josh Murphy named in starting XI v Preston North End