Portsmouth reportedly beat Oxford United, Sunderland and Palace to sign Irish starlet

The Belfast Telegraph claims the Northern Ireland under-21 international was at Fratton Park yesterday completing a switch.

The Blues, along with Oxford United, Palace, Stoke and Sunderland, had been linked with the 19-year-old box-to-box midfielder.

Now it seems John Mousinho has won the race for the highly-regarded youngster, who made 32 appearances and scored twice as Glentoran finished third in the Northern Ireland Premiership last season.

Pompey have already signed Will Norris, Conor Shaughnessy and Christian Saydee since the transfer window opened yesterday.

Meanwhile, Reeco Hackett has been sold to Lincoln for an undisclosed fee.

Devlin would also attract a transfer fee, yet the purchase of Saydee from Bournemouth demonstrates the Blues are prepared to pay for promising young talent.