Exclusive: Portsmouth’s new signing Segecic ‘set for World Cup 2026 with Australia’
Adrian Segecic has had a whirlwind week after officially joining Portsmouth from Sydney FC.
Pompey announced on Wednesday (18 June) that Segecic, 21, has penned a three-year deal at Fratton Park for an undisclosed fee.
While Segecic was out of contract at A-League side Sydney, Portsmouth had to reach a financial settlement to bring him to the UK to become John Mousinho’s first signing of the summer transfer window.
The Australia Under-23s international was on fire for Sydney last season, scoring 13 goals in 24 A-League matches.
Mark Robertson tips Segecic for Australia breakthrough after Portsmouth done deal
Former Burnley and Australia star Mark Robertson has now backed Segecic to win a call-up to the Socceroos’ World Cup squad next year.
Tony Popovic’s side qualified for the 2026 edition of the tournament that’s set to be held in the USA, Mexico and Canada after beating Saudi Arabia earlier this month.
Robertson, who is the father of ex-Portsmouth loan star Alexander, believes Segecic will be in Popovic’s squad as he’ll be able to create a new dimension for his attack.
“I’ve got no doubt he’ll be there [at the World Cup next year],” Robertson told Pompey News.
“He offers something different to what Australia’s got. We’ve been missing that dynamism of a player who’s quite flexible and can roam across the forward line or drop into midfield.
“He’s young and still learning his craft, but he’s got so much ability. He’s so aggressive in and out of possession that it doesn’t go unnoticed.”
‘Segecic strikes fear into hearts of defenders’
Segecic’s goalscoring record for Sydney last season is impressive enough, but delving into the stats shows that the new Portsmouth sensation can score from just about any non-defensive position.
In 35 appearances across all competitions in 2024/25, Segecic played as a centre-forward, on both the left and right wings, as a No 10, as a central midfielder and in a deeper-lying midfield role.
He netted a hat-trick from the left wing against Central Coast in January and in December, he bagged a brace while playing as a defensive midfielder in a 4-3 defeat to Western United.
Robertson, who’s acted as Segecic’s mentor since arriving in the UK to help him get settled, believes that all comes down to the attacking midfielder’s intelligent style of play.
“All that comes down to the willingness to run from deep and outfoxing the people he’s playing against,” said the former Sydney FC and Burnley player.
“He’ll run beyond defenders and he’ll go into certain areas where players won’t be sure whether or not they go with him.
“He causes real panic.”
Segecic joins a growing contingent of Australian players at Fratton Park.
Jacob Farrell, Thomas Waddingham and Segecic’s former Sydney FC teammate Hayden Matthews have all signed for Pompey in the last year.
Kusini Yengi and Mark’s son Alexander had also been on the books at Fratton Park. However, Yengi has now signed for Aberdeen and Robertson joined Cardiff City on a permanent basis from Manchester City following the expiration of his 2023/24 loan deal at Portsmouth.