John Mousinho is adamant he’d have absolutely no qualms about leaving a loan player out of Pompey’s 25-man Football League squad.
Although he insists applying that to forgotten man Florian Bianchini is ‘not something which has crossed my mind’.
The Swansea attacker has struggled to make a favourable impression at Fratton Park, including being sidelined for the last 10 matches through ongoing knee tendonitis.
Bianchini was present at Fratton Park on Sunday to watch the south-coast derby against Southampton, yet there is still no date set for a potential comeback.
Regardless, the Blues are unable to cancel the season-long arrangement, ensuring the Frenchman will spend the remainder of the Championship campaign on their books.
Pompey’s 25-man squad
In terms of the Blues’ 25-man squad, they are presently fully-stocked, not including the injured Mark Kosznovszky and out-of-favour pair Jordan Archer and Tom McIntyre.
Should any signings above the age of 21 be made in the final week of the transfer window, space would need to be created, with Bianchini’s spot inevitably under focus.
And Mousinho has revealed his current stance on the winger’s situation.
He told The News: ‘You can leave loan players out, you don’t have to register anyone.
‘With Flo, it’s not something we are thinking about at the moment, it’s not something which has crossed my mind. We are just trying to get him back fit and get him back registered.
‘Ultimately, we will make decisions based on what we think is best for the football club.
‘How would it look? I just think we’re not bothered. We can try to make friends with everyone, we can try to make decisions which make us look good as a football club.
‘Or we can make decisions which help us – and that’s what we will do.’
Not featured in a squad since November 29
Bianchini has made 11 appearances for the Blues, yet his last match-day involvement was as an unused substitute against Bristol City on November 29.
Under the terms of his loan, he was unable to face parent club Swansea on December 9 in Pompey’s following match.
However, since then, the Frenchman’s knee injury has kept him out of nine successive matches, including Sunday’s clash with Southampton.
Pompey are not required to submit their latest 25-man squad to the Football League until next week, once the transfer window has closed on Monday (February 2).
Hungarian midfielder ruled out for the season
As it stands, Kosznovszky, McIntyre and Archer won’t be registered, taking the Blues up to their limit of 25 players.
That includes new arrivals Millenic Alli, Ebou Adams and Keshi Anderson, as well as Bianchini and fellow loanee Conor Chaplin.
Players born on or after January 1, 2004 are classed as under-21 players, thereby aren’t counted towards the total, yet can still be selected.
This applies to Reuben Swann, Thomas Waddingham, Hayden Matthews, Adrian Segecic, Harry Clout, Makenzie Kirk, Franco Umeh and Tayo Singerr.
Although Umeh has now been ruled out for the remainder of the season with the hamstring injury sustained against Arsenal, being an under-21 player his absence doesn’t create a space in the 25-man squad.
However, if Jacob Farrell and Luke Le Roux are fixed up with loan clubs, that would make room for other potential signings.
Discussion about this post