John Mousinho told Josh Murphy he’s at the ideal place to achieve his goals as Leicester City’s interest in him grew stronger.
However, the Pompey manager acknowledged that the winger’s perspective will need to be considered amid reports of a Foxes offer for his key player last night.
The relegated Premier League side are pursuing Murphy ahead of tomorrow’s transfer deadline at 7pm, with the 30-year-old playing in yesterday’s 1-0 victory over Preston North End.
Pompey’s stance on the interest is firm, with the Oxford United signing deemed not for sale, as Mousinho clarified the club’s position following their latest Championship triumph.
The head coach emphasized that the club’s board are resolute in their stance, consistent with their approach to Colby Bishop and Callum Lang in the past.
The News understands the amount offered by Leicester falls significantly short of a figure that would prompt Pompey to reconsider their position.
Another critical factor is the timing of the move, occurring at the transfer window’s close, leaving the Blues with limited time to respond to the potential departure of their reigning player of the season.
Murphy demonstrated his professionalism with a diligent performance in the Preston win, having previously expressed his satisfaction with life at PO4.
Mousinho believes the player, who recorded 21 goal contributions last season, is ‘incredibly happy’ at Fratton Park, making this a significant factor in addressing Leicester’s interest.
Pompey boss on Murphy: ‘We don’t need to sell’
He said: ‘From the football club’s point of view we don’t need to sell – the football club are really solid on that.
‘You never, I suppose, have complete control of it because the player’s destiny is in his own hands to some extent.
‘But we have a long contract in terms of where we’ve tied Murph up and the reassurance I have from the club is there’s no financial pressure to sell the player.
‘My take, and I spoke to Josh about this in the summer, is he’s playing the best football of his career. He’s completely transformed the way he operates as a footballer.
‘That’s nothing to do with me, but that is everything about what he’s done, how much this football club suits him and how much our playing style suits him.
‘He’s ended the last couple of games with the captain’s armband and was outstanding again against Preston without putting the ball in the back of the net.
‘I know he’s incredibly happy here.
‘Who knows what else is out there, but I certainly think from a playing point of view and knowing Josh really well this is a brilliant place for him.’
It’s shaping up to be a hectic conclusion to the transfer window, with Pompey aiming to strengthen their attacking options before tomorrow’s deadline.
A deal has been finalized to sign St Johnstone striker Makenzie Kirk, with The News revealing Pompey’s interest earlier this month.
A winger is also being targeted, with Crystal Palace’s Franco Umeh drawing attention, following Matt Ritchie’s transfer to Reading.
Pompey have so far secured seven new players this summer, with Adrian Segecic, John Swift, Luke Le Roux, Mark Kosznovszky, Florian Bianchini, Minhyeok Yang, and Josh Knight joining the squad.