Mousinho excited as Portsmouth agree terms with forward Clout
Portsmouth are aiming to build on their 16th-place finish in the Championship by adding to their squad in this summer’s transfer window.
John Mousinho led Pompey to safety with two games to spare last season, but it’s widely agreed that new signings are needed to avoid a relegation scrap in the forthcoming campaign.
The Blues have already signed Australian playmaker Adrian Segecic, but Mousinho’s squad still looks short of midfielders and strikers.
With that said, the club has now agreed a deal with an academy star who made his Pompey debut last season.
Portsmouth academy star Clout signs his first professional contract
Harry Clout was brought on as a substitute in Portsmouth’s FA Cup 3rd round defeat to Wycombe Wanderers last January.
He was also an unused substitute in Championship games against Luton, Middlesbrough and Bristol City.
Now, following his impressive development in the club’s youth academy, he has signed his first professional contract with Pompey, as confirmed by the club’s website (4 July).
Clout is a winger who has previously described as the “poster boy” for Portsmouth Academy.
When questioned about the signing, Mousinho said: “Harry impressed when he joined up with the first team last season and is a promising young player.
“This professional contract is thoroughly deserved, and we’re excited to see how he develops with us in the coming weeks and months.”
Portsmouth are right to focus on youth
Pompey have developed a clear strategy for their transfers in recent years, and it’s not just “Australians and former players”.
Mousinho has been focusing on signing young players for low transfer fees. Up-and-coming stars who could eventually be sold on for big bucks.
In the past couple of transfer windows, Hayden Matthews (21), Thomas Waddingham (20) and Adrian Segecic (20) have all been recruited.
Yes, there’s the right blend of experience too, but this strategy is needed if Pompey are going to continue growing sustainably.
| Appearances | Minutes Played | Goals | Assists |
| 1 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
There will be no expectations of Clout to immediately break into the first team, although perhaps there will be opportunities in the cup competitions once again.
It’s always exciting to hear of academy stars fulfilling their dream of becoming a professional footballer. Fans of every club love to cheer about “one of our own”, and it has been a while since the Fratton faithful have had the chance to do that.
However, there’s a long way to go before Clout can say he has “made it.” The hard work starts here for the youngster.
Sign up for the Pompey News WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking Portsmouth news sent straight to your phone.