'Definitely': Portsmouth boss John Mousinho forced into transfer rethink over crisis-hit position
The Blues have been left with just three fit central defenders for the foreseeable future
Pompey are in the market for a new centre-half after being hit by yet more injury woes.
With Josh Knight (back) and Hayden Matthews (ankle) both ruled out for the medium-term, it leaves the Blues with just three recognised central defenders on their books.
As a consequence, they are now desperately attempting to add to their depleted numbers in a January transfer window growing ever-more crucial to staying in the Championship.
Regan Poole, Ibane Bowat and Conor Shaughnessy are John Mousinho’s options at present, with the latter returning from a long-term injury on December 29 against Charlton.
And considering Shaughnessy’s worrying injury history over the last 18 months, Pompey urgently require cover and competition in the centre-half area.
‘Definitely an area we may look to strengthen’
Mousinho told The News: ‘The centre-half situation is fluid and ongoing, depending on where we are and the strength in depth we have.
‘However, we’ve got two centre-halves out again and we’ve got three that are fit.
‘Connor Ogilvie is coming back in, with the potential to be able to play centre-half, so it’s definitely an area we may look to strengthen.
‘Josh essentially has bone bruising on the back. We were testing that to see how that settled out in the last week and, now that has gone, we’ve had him re-scanned. Underneath that there’s a stress fracture there.
‘That is something we couldn’t initially see on the scan, but now it’s really clear to us and unfortunately that is one of those injuries which just means he’s going to be off his feet for the next 4-6 weeks - and then he’s going to build off the back of that.
‘At the time the symptoms were presented just as a stiff back or sore back and we couldn't actually see he had that stress fracture there.
‘Now things have settled down and we have seen how serious it is. Fair play to Josh for trying to play through that, but we just need a bit of time on the sidelines with him.’
Three available centre-halves
Shaughnessy played just 15 times in the year 2025 after suffering calf and hamstring problems, while Bowat is now eight matches into his return having been sidelined for the 2024-25 season by a knee ligament injury.
Poole has also had his injury issues in the past, although, apart from an ankle knock which kept him out for two games in December, has been a regular in Pompey’s starting XI.
Meanwhile, Matthews damaged ligaments in his right ankle in February against QPR, ruling him out for the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign, before returning to training last summer.
It took the Australian international a while to regain his form, yet he began to shine once more after being handed a five-game run in the side last month.
‘A very similar injury’
Now the 21-year-old has been ruled out once more after damaging his ankle during a substitute appearance in the New Year’s Day 5-0 defeat at Bristol City.
Mousinho added: ‘Hayden is going to be about 8-10 weeks with a very similar injury to what he picked up last year, but he doesn’t require surgery.
‘He injured his ankle in the tackle on the far side at the back end of Bristol City.’