Portsmouth ace Conor Shaughnessy named signing of the season in the whole of EFL
Portsmouth defender Conor Shaughnessy has been branded the “signing of the season” across the entire EFL by the Football League Paper.
On page 17 of their Sunday edition [5 May], the FLP lauded the Irishman as the best new recruit across the 72 EFL clubs after his significant contribution helped bring the League One title to Fratton Park.
Shaughnessy kept 19 clean sheets in the Pompey back line and did not miss a minute of league action since the second week of the season, the most game time of any Blues outfielder.
The 27-year-old free signing from Burton Albion was named the club’s Players’ Player of the Year, and scored the title-winning decider at the Fratton End against Barnsley that will go down in Pompey folklore.
Shaughnessy will now be targeting a regular spot in John Mousinho’s defence in the Championship, as well as a first senior cap for the Republic of Ireland with UEFA Nations League fixtures beginning later this year.
Will Conor Shaughnessy perform for Portsmouth in the Championship?
Shaughnessy has barely put a foot wrong all season. His consistent performances could even be a factor in the club opting against offering long-time servant Sean Raggett a new deal.
Only Will Norris in goal has played more minutes than the centre-half all season, so it seemed fitting that he would be the one to pop up and score arguably Pompey’s most memorable goal since David Norris at St. Mary’s in 2012.
Shaughnessy has in fact played sparingly in the Championship before, during the 2017/18 season with Leeds United when he featured on nine occasions.
The progress he has shown and the reliability he possesses just offers a calmness that is hard to come by in too many EFL defenders, and I’m confident Mousinho will be only too happy to rely on him as the new season begins.
It’s a mystery how Shaughnessy hasn’t yet worked his way into the reckoning of the Irish national side – an ambition he spoke of five years ago whilst playing in Scotland with Hearts.
But with the new Nations League campaign kicking off after the Euros – against England, no less – not a single Pompey fan would be shocked to see their man on the field looking to contain Harry Kane in September.
In other Portsmouth news, Mousinho admits Joe Rafferty wasn’t in agreement with the club’s plans for a new right-back.
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