Portsmouth manager announces intention to rival Premier League stalwart for Manchester City starlet’s signature

John Mousinho has revealed that Portsmouth are hoping to re-sign Manchester City’s Alex Robertson despite Premier League interest.

The 21-year-old’s season-long loan at Fratton Park during the 2023/24 campaign was dramatically cut short in early January, after the midfielder suffered a long-term injury during a Portsmouth first-team training session.

Robertson made 23 league appearances before suffering a hamstring injury in the new year, with the Scotland-born midfielder having helped Portsmouth win promotion to the Sky Bet Championship, as they finished top in League One.

Pompey will be playing in the second-tier next season, and are hopeful of re-signing Robertson for the 2024/25 campaign, with the midfielder looking to return from August, following rehabilitation.

A loan spell at Fratton Park was Robertson’s second temporary move away from east Manchester, after the Australian international spent time in the Scottish Premiership with Ross County during the 2022/23 campaign.

Robertson, who has been an unused substitute for Manchester City across the Premier League, Carabao Cup and UEFA Champions League, moved to the Etihad Stadium in 2017 from semi-professional club Hakoah Sydney.

The 21-year-old has featured for Manchester City’s academy teams, and was directly involved in five goals for Portsmouth in League One during the most recent campaign.

Premier League club Everton have emerged as a potential suitor for the midfielder this summer, although Portsmouth manager John Mousinho has revealed an ambition to bring Robertson back to Fratton Park.

“From our point of view we’ve put ourselves in the best possible position we can. There’s nothing more we can do on that,” he said.

“For Alex (Robertson) and Man City it will probably be one where we will wait until mid-to-late pre-season to see what their intentions are with Alex, and then we will go from there. It wouldn’t surprise me massively if Alex is a part of their first-team plans in pre-season and it’s a decision they make later on.”

Pep Guardiola and Manchester City are due to travel to the United States next month for a pre-season tour which will involve four matches, with friendlies against Celtic, AC Milan, Barcelona and Chelsea.