Portsmouth's position over Zak Swanson’s future as former Arsenal hope’s contract comes to close
The League One title winner’s contract comes to a close this summer, with John Mousinho making his position clear over versatile defender’s future.
Zak Swanson has been one of Pompey’s ‘best players this season’.
That's the view of John Mousinho, who now wants to keep the former Arsenal defender at Fratton Park moving forward.
The Blues boss revealed he’s keen to hand Swanson a longer-term contract, as reward for his impressive displays and availability record this season.
Swanson is arguably in the form of his Pompey career, with the 25-year-old playing all the way across the back line this season as well as in central midfield.
With the long-serving favourite out of contract this summer, Mousinho has made his position clear on Swanson’s future.
He said: ‘I want to try to get something done.
‘I think he’s been one of our best players this season. It’s as simple as that, I love Zak.
‘If you look at a period of games and I would’ve said, we’re going to lose Connor Ogilvie for a large spell and Jacob Farrell isn’t going to be fit - what are we going to do at left-back?
‘A lot of people would’ve felt we’d need to bring someone in through the January window and, before that, we’d maybe need to change shape or do something like that.
‘But Zak has come in and deputised brilliant, actually I think he’s been better in that position than he was at right-back. He’s really made it his own and looks comfortable there.
‘He’s played at centre-back with an excellent performance against Southampton. He’s played as an eight and I think he’s got a lot more potential there than he showed on the day.
‘We saw him at Wrexham. You can see how we set Zak up in that midfield position against Sheffield Wednesday, because he finds himself in there a lot playing as a full-back. That was the rationale behind it. We want that flexibility and fluidity in his game - and I think he’s shown that.
‘The defensive side of his game has improved and he’s very solid.
‘Then the goal at Wrexham sums him up, it may have been a deflection but the play before that was excellent.’
On top of his strong form, Swanson has been available for selection for the vast majority of the season - with just the December trip to Derby County missed through illness.
Pompey boss: ‘I can’t think of many games he’s missed’
After struggling with injury issues for much of his career those doubts are being eradicated, with Mousinho seeing a longer-term Pompey commitment to the player as a natural consequence.
He added: ‘I think it has (the penny has dropped). From some difficulties early in his Portsmouth career around injuries, availability and robustness, touchwood, has flipped it on its head.
‘Zak’s availability has improved, I can’t think of many that he’s missed at all. That was the most important thing with Zak, availability, because we know he’s talented. We know he can do it.
‘I think if you have a solid Championship season, as he’s done, you put yourself in a different position (for a longer deal).
‘There’s been a couple of years where he’s been in and out with a couple of injuries here and there. Maybe that wasn’t a solid enough body of work to warrant what he may warrant this summer. I think he’s put himself in a good position.’