Portsmouth learn Pelle Mattson price tag as wanted midfielder closes in on move to Championship rivals Norwich
Norwich City’s pursuit of one-time Pompey target Pelle Mattsson is set to pay dividends
Pompey have finally learned the figure that has convinced Silkeborg IF to part company with in-demand midfielder Pelle Mattsson this summer.
Not because the Blues have reached an agreement with the Danish Superliga side to sign the 24-year-old.
Instead, it’s because Championship rivals Norwich City - the Fratton Park side’s main rival for the defensive midfielder’s signature - have emerged victorious after some tough and protracted negotiations.
Former Pompey target Pelle Mattsson poised to join Norwich
Just like Pompey, the Canaries waved the white flag in their pursuit of Mattsson when they brought in Serbian international Mirko Topic for a £3m fee from Famalicao at the beginning of August.
The Blues backed off as they knew they could not compete with Norwich and the numbers being discussed to make a move possible - a decision that prompted more affordable and successful pursuits for Mark Kosznovszky and Luke Le Roux.
Norwich, on the other hand, changed course as Silkeborg dug their heels in and played hard-ball when both clubs met round the negotiating table.
Now, after what appears to be months of deliberation and a return to negotiations, Mattsson looks set to complete his wish of moving to England.
What broke Pelle Mattsson the deadlock for Norwich?
Two factors appear to have played a key role in the transfer finally getting the green light.
Firstly, Norwich’s decision this week to accept a £10m bid from fierce rivals Ipswich for midfielder Marcelino Nunez - who was in the final year of his Carrow Road contract - is set to leave a huge hole in Liam Manning’s engine room.
Secondly, the Canaries - who had a reported £1.75m bid for Mattsson turned down earlier in the summer - managed to convince stubborn Silkeborg to part company with their key man by offering them terms they could no longer resist.
Previous reports claimed a no-nonsense £2.6m valuation had been placed on the midfielder, who has less than 12 months to run on his current contract.
In the end, Silkeborg’s bull-headed approach paid dividends, with Norwich set to pay £2.7m, plus £300,000 worth of add-ons, to get Mattsson to Carrow Road before the transfer window closes on Monday.
Can Pompey compete with Championship rivals’ spending power?
If signed on time, Mattsson could make his Norwich debut when they travel to Blackburn on Saturday.
Manning’s side currently sit 17th in the table on three points and below the Blues (11th) - despite their 2-1 victory at Fratton Park on August 16.
As for Pompey, they could hand a debut to Josh Knight when they take on Preston North End at PO4 this weekend.
A signing from Hannover 96, the defender is the third player Pompey have paid a transfer fee for this summer - four, if you include the compensation fee handed to Sydney FC ahead of Adrian Segecic’s free transfer move to the south coast.
Fees in the region of £1m have been enough to lure Knight, Mark Kosznovszky and Luke Le Roux to Fratton Park.
And while clubs like Norwich continue to fork out huge sums to better their Championship hopes, Pompey boss John Mousinho admitted that's not a route the Blues want to go down - just yet.
‘It’s probably not been for this window if you’re looking to push to £2.5-3m (for signings) but certainly as we progress as a football club those are the signings we’ll be looking to make.
‘The biggest thing we need to highlight is progress, that’s why I highlight the spending increase in every window and the increase and willingness for us to to spend as a football club.
‘What we don’t want to do is jump to £7-10m players all of a sudden, which is what some clubs have done and is absolutely fine because they have different structures, different resources and that’s the way they want to do things.
‘We want to do things slightly differently at this club, to build to get to that stage and if we build window on window. Whether we get to that stage or not next year I don’t know, but we will be a lot closer.’