Exclusive:Portsmouth boss details position on £1m man’s future at transfer window’s climax
The Pompey boss gives the latest on the former Leicester City, Peterborough United and Hannover 96 man’s Fratton future ahead of the transfer deadline at 11pm next Tuesday.
Josh Knight’s Pompey future is in the balance as the transfer window reaches conclusion.
Blues boss John Mousinho admitted the defender is a consideration to leave Fratton Park over the coming days, as his club face trimming players from their squad to balance off their summer signings.
Mousinho on exits: ‘We have spoken to some lads, because we’re clearer on some positions than others.
That’s also the case with his fellow centre-back Hayden Matthews, who is attracting loan interest from League One ahead of next Tuesday’s 11pm deadline.
But Mousinho stated the need to move players on to work within the confines of the EFL’s 25-man squad rules has to be balanced off against having the cover at the back through Pompey’s third Championship campaign.
The £1m capture from Hannover 96 has been involved with the senior set-up through pre-season - and made an important last contribution to last weekend’s 3-1 win at Lincoln City.
Mousinho explained some players’ futures are clear and they have been informed of their situations, while the picture is still variable over what lies ahead for others.
When asked if Matthews and Knight could leave, the Pompey said: ‘They are considerations both ways (to stay and go) - we’re having those sort of conversations about now.
‘That’s where we are. I looked at it at the weekend and we’d probably like to carry two centre-backs on the bench.
‘If we don’t then Knighty can cover at right-back, that’s where he’s played in pre-season. So it’s just where we are with the squad at the moment.
‘There’s that nice picture in the abstract of being able to move players on if we can.
‘We’ve signed some good pros who’ve affected pre-season - and in Knighty’s case affected and came on and played really well.
‘We have spoken to some of the lads, because we’re a bit clearer on some positions than others.
‘But there are others who we want to give every chance to fight for their first-team place.’
Pompey currently have a group of 29 players who count towards their 25-man squad limit, with eight contracted under-21 players - who aren’t counted towards that total.
With Mousinho looking to add three more signings, that would leave him needing to move on or deregister seven of the current group - if the new faces aren’t permanent under-21 additions.
The likes of Josef Bursik, Luke Le Roux, Jacob Farrell, Mark Kosznovszky and Harvey Blair are considerations to either be sold, loaned or deregistered in the coming days.