Portsmouth boss reveals striker transfer plan after Waddingham injury setback
John Mousinho outlines the situation over signing a new striker after Pompey’s latest injury setback.
Pompey are weighing up a late transfer window swoop for another attacker after their Thomas Waddingham injury blow.
John Mousinho has explained a flexible front-line option in the mould of Callum Lang could well be sought to bolster his squad going forward before the transfer window closes.
Mousinho on a new striker: ‘Maybe there’s a conversation to be had’
The Blues are reeling from Waddingham's ankle injury, which will keep the Aussie front man out for a minimum of six weeks.
The outlook could worsen if the 21-year-old undergoes surgery, leaving Colby Bishop and Marko Milovanović as the fit No9 options at Mousinho’s disposal.
Mousinho explained there are other transfer options and squad considerations at present, but a new forward could become a live option as the transfer window nears its end.
He said: ‘There’s no change at the minute.
‘The consciousness (over the striker options) was last season we lost Wadds and had Colby taking the majority of the workload.
‘We brought Mack (Kirk) in who’ve we now loaned out and Jacob Brown was the one who came in to share that (load).
‘This year we’ve signed a centre-forward and now have two really good centre-forwards for the level in the building.
‘So we’ve lost Wadds and the way the situation could develop is that, if we’re okay with squad numbers at the back end of the window and taken all the players we need for other positions, then maybe there’s a conversation to be had.
‘That’s not over an out-and-out centre-forward but someone who can play across the front line. Someone who can do a job out wide, up front or as a 10 as well.
‘A good example would be Langy (Callum Lang) who was extremely flexible and someone we played up front a couple of times. He played every position across the front four in his time here.’
Mousinho highlighted another consideration over replacing Waddingham is the striker did not take up one of the precious 25 squad spots Pompey have to stick to under EFL rules, as a contracted under-21 player.
He added: ‘Part of the issue with Wadds and difficulty is he didn’t count in terms of squad numbers. That was extremely useful.
‘So if we have to replace him we haven’t accounted for that.
‘It’s having that flexibility. If we had another position we had a free squad spot in, we’d need someone to cover both.
‘That’s because of the nature of restrictions on squad numbers, which do make it quite difficult.
‘The difficulty also is contracted under-21 players who can come in permanently and affect the Championship are few and far between - and quite expensive. Then the lads who come in loan and are available count towards the squad list.'