Portsmouth closing in on John Swift transfer as deal for former West Brom and Reading midfielder struck
John Swift is set to become Pompey’s second signing of the transfer window
Pompey are closing in on the signing of free-agent John Swift.
The News has learned that The Express’ report on Saturday morning of a deal being struck for the out-of-contract midfielder is true.
A medical has been arranged for today and is expected to take place at a location away from Fratton Park and the club’s Hilsea training base.
Swift, who left West Brom on a free transfer at the end of last season, will then sign a two-year deal with the Fratton Park side. A club option of a further 12 months is also expected to be included in the agreement.
It’s understood the Gosport-born ace’s continued family connections to Portsmouth and the city’s surrounding areas played a key role in his decision to return to the south coast - a homecoming which The News first reported on June 12.
Other Championship clubs were keen on the 30-year-old, who featured 126 times for the Baggies over the past three seasons and registered 31 goal contributions.
There was also interest from Scottish giants Rangers and teams in Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the MLS. However, the lure of Pompey proved too much to turn down for a player who spent a year on the Blues’ books during his formative years before moving to Chelsea.
Once all the formalities are completed, Swift will become Pompey’s second signing of the transfer window and follow Adrian Segecic through the door at Fratton Park.
John Swift kept fit while wait for new club continued
Pompey fans could see the former Reading midfielder in action for the first time on Tuesday night, when John Mousinho takes his first-team squad to non-league Woking for their first game of pre-season.
Swift has been keeping himself fit by participating in a PFA-led pre-season training camp for out-of-contract player in Leicestershire.
While there, he said: ‘There’s nothing worse than just being sat home, going to the gym, waiting for your agent to call, hoping that it’s sooner rather than later. ‘So I’d rather come in and just do this.
‘It’s somewhere to come, get back fit and get on the pitch, because you can’t replicate what you do out there in the gym.
‘As soon as you turn 30 I think the options become a little bit sparse, but now I’m excited to see where I go next.’
Mousinho: we’re close to something
Swift’s impending arrival comes just days after Blues head coach John Mousinho admitted a follow-up to Adrian Segecic’s signing was coming.
Speaking from the club’s pre-season training camp in Slovakai, he told The News: ‘In terms of a priority position to strengthen at the moment, you look at us in the middle of the park.
‘We have lost Isaac, we have lost Freddie. So they are two loan players at the back end of the season who are no longer here and we know what they brought to us.
‘We are operating at the minute with Marlon and Andre, so that is probably an area we need to strengthen.
‘Bringing in two more players there is about right. We want to have two players in every position, we have always been really clear about that. In terms of the six and the eight positions, we need two more.
‘We are close to something, to be honest. We’re moving on a couple and it’s going in the right direction.
‘There are plenty available, but there are not plenty of the right ones available, so that's the hardest thing for us.’
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