Pompey transfer deadline day latest

The News, Portsmouth

Pompey writer Jordan Cross gives the transfer deadline day latest with Josh Murphy, Makenzie Kirk, Franco Umeh, ins, outs and 25-man squad information.

Transcript

00:01Good morning, just a transfer deadline day update for you guys and everyone at Portsmouth.co.uk

00:10on our Facebook page and we'll get this out on social media through our various channels

00:16today. But just to keep you abreast of what is certain, I'm pretty certain to be a frantic

00:23final day of activity for Pompey ahead of tonight's 7pm deadline. We'll be right across

00:29it. So let's get you up to speed with how things stand. Of course, there's only probably

00:33one place to start today and that is the Josh Murphy saga. I think it's in a round of a transfer

00:38saga very quickly, this one. Obviously Leicester City coming on strong for Pompey's winger and

00:44our understanding that there was a bid placed at the weekend, which falls well short, in

00:50my opinion, of what should be a figure that would make Pompey consider the situation.

00:57But the club are actually very firm on their position with Josh Murphy. He is not for sale

01:02and there is no pressure to sell. That's been consistent from Pompey. Consistent in the past

01:07when you look at the likes of Colby Bishop, Callum Lang and the talk around them, the board

01:12have always been consistent in their position that there's no pressure to sell and that remains

01:17the case with Josh Murphy. John Massino giving a little bit of context to that, of course,

01:22with the fact that you have to take the players' feelings and thoughts of that into consideration.

01:27A story at the news, Portsmouth.co.uk yesterday, our morning story, quite an interesting quote

01:34when John said, you never have complete control of it because of a player's destiny with it

01:40in fact in their hands to an extent. So that probably is a little bit of an insight. Josh,

01:46incredibly happy was the quote from John Massino and I think we've seen that and that would be the

01:52play from Pompey that he's rejuvenated his career. He's flying up at Fratton Park. He is genuinely

01:59very happy here. So that would be the angle that Pompey would play. But obviously, Leicester City come

02:04with the offer of remuneration for Josh and I'm sure that is a head-turning situation for him.

02:11But that's one to watch today. We're right across that one. The other one, of course,

02:17in terms of more the incomings, Mackenzie Kirk, the St. Johnson striker. That's one we reported a

02:22couple of weeks ago. That's pretty much done now. Literally just hearing that at the moment,

02:27just having a couple of text messages coming through that that one's done. He was due down,

02:31I think, for a medical yesterday. And a bid agreed. St. Johnson manager Simo Valakari confirming that one.

02:41A very good deal for us in terms of St. Johnson. He said a good deal for the player. I think he goes

02:45on to say a good deal for Portsmouth as well. So that one is in. A fee attached to Mackenzie Kirk,

02:51a prolific player coming through the ranks in terms of goals. And then getting the move to St. Johnson,

02:56who was struggling last season. I think he got 11 goals, including some really eye-catching finishes.

03:01Peterborough, the other team that were keen on Mackenzie, they had a £500,000 bid rejected. So that

03:07kind of gives you a little idea of where Pompey are looking to get a deal done in terms of that one.

03:10But that one's done. The other one, Franco Ume, the Crystal Palace winger, looking at a loan deal

03:15for that one for the 20-year-old Republic Ireland under 21 international. So that's one to watch.

03:22I think that could be well developed through the day. Interestingly, of course, John Messina saying

03:26up to three players would be his bet for what's going to happen today. So there is, of course,

03:33the squad restrictions, which is going to be quite significant potentially as the day goes on.

03:37We're probably working to the 25-man EFL squad limits. They have space for two at the moment.

03:43Two under-21 permanents don't count towards that. So that could be quite a significant factor in

03:48terms of the squad balancing as the day goes on. Space for two. But in the case of Mackenzie Kirk,

03:54he was born after January 1st, 2004. That's the cutoff to be considered an under-21 player. He was born the

04:02following month, so that means he's okay. So he, in my estimation, means he would not count towards

04:07that 25-man squad cap. Some interesting situations potentially with Jordan Archer. We might just tap

04:13into that in a moment. Of course, outgoings, Abdukamara, Tom McIntyre out of favour. I don't

04:19think that would be a squad consideration given if they weren't to go, I think they would be deregistered.

04:24But there's some interest John Messina confirming towards the end of last week in both players.

04:29Abdukamara, I think from sort of the French seconds here. Tom McIntyre, not quite so much,

04:34not quite so detailed on that one, but hopefully developing for Tom to get himself fixed up. But

04:40that would be the outgoings with Jordan Archer. Told him he can go and get himself the regular

04:44football he's crazy. Not going to get at Pompey at the moment with Ben Killip coming in and jumping

04:49above him in the pecking order. But what Pompey could do potentially there with Jordan Archer is,

04:54if he does move on and they are getting close to, they need some wriggle room in terms of their

05:01squad situation. They could move on Jordan Archer and then bring in a permanent under 21. That would

05:07then free up another space within that 25-man squad situation. So there's all that kind of

05:11manoeuvrability and all those considerations at play. Speaking to John Messina about that at the

05:15weekend and he confirmed that that would be a consideration with Jordan Archer potentially if

05:19they got to that scenario. A couple of other bits and pieces worth picking up on. I know there's

05:26the complex governing body endorsement situation where Pompey, all clubs under the relaxed rules now

05:34with the ESC, the elite significant contribution system, can sign up to four players under the relaxed

05:42criteria, shall we say, with a points system in place where players would have to get above 15 points

05:48to get the full visa. They can actually sign four players on a relaxed ESC situation, which they

05:53have Pompey used a good effect in the past. John Messina confirming to himself at the weekend that

05:59there isn't currently space. They have those four spots, those four ESC spots filled. So the likes of

06:06Kosnowski and Leroux and Segretic came in under that basis. So that was what John Messina was saying at the

06:10weekend. So I know that would be a consideration with some of the foreign players that have been linked

06:15and speculating around one or two foreign players. According to what John Messina was saying at the

06:21weekend, the players would then have to be above the 15-point limit. So it's a complex system. But

06:28that's how it's been framed to myself in terms of foreign signings at the moment. They would have to be

06:36above that with the ESC spots filled. Then you can promote the players after a while, which Pompey

06:43have done with the likes of Jacob Farrell and Nico Schmidt. But that would not be until further down

06:48the line. So the likes of Segretic, I think once he gets out, he'd been internationally called up for

06:52Australia, he could then be promoted. But not at the moment, that would be further down the line.

06:57So that's broadly the situation. Of course, back to the Josh Murphy scenario, that could be one. But

07:04Pompey genuinely have been quite consistent and they are firm in their position. But as I say,

07:11you've got to look at the player's position there. And I think Josh would look at that opportunity.

07:16That said, having known him, he's a great character, very professional. He's not someone who's going to

07:21agitate for a move. He's not someone that's going to kick off. And Pompey would leave themselves with

07:25very little time to manoeuvre in terms of getting replacements. That's probably really significant,

07:31as I wrote in my match report yesterday on the Preston win, which obviously focused on Josh Murphy.

07:36Pompey would leave themselves with really little time. If it was a few weeks ago, I could perhaps

07:39see the more chance of that happening. But it's one to watch closely. We'll be right across it

07:43through the day at Portsmouth.co.uk. And in terms of other incomings, and I know we're talking about

07:48the premium players and the money being spent on a significant signing. I think that's just one to see.

07:55We'll wait to see what happens as the day progresses there. But John Massino again speaking

07:58to us at the news saying, perhaps not the window for £2.5 to £3 million. But Pompey will be

08:03looking to push there. But as I say, a decent fee attached to Mackenzie Kirk on the final day.

08:08That's for sure. I mean, that is a player that would not come cheaply. So money being spent at Pompey.

08:14Let's see where things go. But we'll be right across it, all over it, all across our social media channels.

08:19We've got a live blog running at Portsmouth.co.uk. The cutoff, of course, 7pm this evening. It's going

08:25to be a frantic day. Seven players through the door at the moment. Could it be 8, 9, 10 and players going out?

08:31We, as I say, we'll be right across it. And we'll keep you posted. All the best.

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended