Portsmouth chief executive Andy Cullen has revealed further details over the club’s failed summer transfer chase for ex-loanee midfielder Alex Robertson, after he chose to join Cardiff City instead of make a move back to Fratton Park in August.
Robertson joined Pompey on loan from Manchester City last year, and shone on loan on the south coast in League One last term, as he helped John Mousinho’s side to promotion with a goal and four assists in 23 league appearances before his season was cut short in January due to a serious hamstring injury.
The club were clear in their desire to bring the 21-year-old back in the summer, on a permanent deal from the Citizens, but missed out on his signature as he made the switch to the Welsh capital for a reported £1m rising to £3m on a four-year deal.
Boss Mousinho spoke of his disappointment at missing out on Robertson at the time, and now CEO Cullen has disclosed more about their chase for the Australian international, which ultimately ended in defeat to a fellow Championship club.
Andy Cullen reveals how close Alex Robertson was to permanent Portsmouth move
Pompey chief Cullen has disclosed how Pompey had not just agreed a fee for Robertson with Manchester City in August, but had also spoken to the 21-year-old and his representatives, and came to an agreement on personal terms ahead of a potential move.
“We would have loved to have both Abu (Kamara) and Alex in the building,” he told the Portsmouth News.
“We had an offer accepted by Manchester City and terms (agreed) with Alex as well.
“But Alex chose, as is his prerogative, that he wanted to go to Cardiff. That’s absolutely fine, though it was to our disappointment.”
It is clear that Portsmouth felt they had done all they could to convince Robertson to return to Fratton Park in the summer, and while his decision will sting all those connected with the club after his impressive loan spell, there does not seem to be much more that the Blues could have done to get him back.
Alex Robertson has gone from strength-to-strength in the Championship with Cardiff
Pompey supporters may well be over their failed Robertson chase by now, but his standout form in the opening stages of this season with Cardiff has certainly vindicated the club’s decision to offer big money for his signature, and could make their failed move feel worse, given their own poor start to the campaign.
Robertson experienced a slow start to life at Cardiff as he was an unused substitute in the first two games of the season under Erol Bulut, but he soon began to get valuable minutes off the bench, and has since been a consistent starter under Omer Riza since Bulut’s departure.
| Alex Robertson’s 2024/25 Championship statistics | |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 11 |
| Starts | 9 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Shot-creating actions per 90 | 3.39 |
| Successful take-ons per 90 | 0.82 |
| Ball recoveries per 90 | 5.49 |
| Interceptions per 90 | 1.63 |
| Stats as per FBref – as of November 17, 2024 | |
He has been a star in midfield in recent weeks, and it was surely no coincidence that the first four of the Bluebirds’ wins this season came with Robertson as a starter in the middle of the park.
Prior to Cardiff’s face-off against Portsmouth last month, the 21-year-old insisted that he “loved” his time at Fratton Park, but his allegiances lie with another Championship club that plays in blue now, and Pompey will hope that his decision does not come back to bite them with relegation back to the third-tier this season.
Discussion about this post