"Drop down a level" - Portsmouth FC told to let 2024 signing depart Fratton Park in January | OneFootball

Blair has been awarded just 164 Championship minutes, before injury stunted his already faltering progression.

Harvey Blair's professional career has not got off to the best start, seeing just one start for Pompey amid inconsistent form and fitness.

21-year-old Blair joined Portsmouth this summer, after spending nine years with Liverpool's academy.

Clearly a fan, John Mousinho had been trying to tempt the winger to Fratton Park since 2023, when injury got in the way of a loan to the eventual League One champions.

Since then, he has been awarded just 164 Championship minutes, before injury stunted his already faltering progression.

With Portsmouth in the midst of a relegation battle, it seems unlikely that Blair will have an avenue to break into the first team, suggesting he may need to take a temporary step down.

'His ability is unquestionable, but he needs game time'

We asked our Portsmouth fan pundit, Miltos, whether Harvey Bair was a player that John Mousinho should consider loaning out in January.

"I think there is a probability for a plethora of players to leave the club on loan in January, and Harvey Blair could fall under that category.

"The thing with Harvey Blair is, he joined us in the summer without having any previous senior mens football experience. With the exception of a cameo appearance in the league cup, he hadn't played a single minute of professional football up until the moment he joined us.

"It's really difficult sometimes to make that transition from being a player at an academy or under 21s level, to playing mens football, especially in a league as tough and as competitive as the Championship.

"For good or for bad, the club are not currently in a position where they can give players like Harvey their first taste of Championship football, or in this case, first true taste of professional football in general, because our current situation means we need players that are ready to step up now.

"I'm not just saying this just to say it, it's going to sound like a bit of a cliché, but I genuinely think a loan move would do Harvey Blair the world of good.

"Maybe drop down a level, play consistant football, that is what Harvey needs at the moment, and I don't think Pompey are in the position to give him that right now.

"To give an example to that. Last season we signed Abou Kamara from Norwich. Before that, we were actually on the brink of signing Blair on loan, but he got injured so we went with Kamara.

"Abou was a great example of a player who came in, nobody knew who he was, hadn't played a single minute of professional football. However, slowly but surely he developed into the player we know today.

"I think if we had secured Harvey last season, he would have probably forged a similar pathway to what we saw from Kamara.

"If you were to put Harvey Blair in an established League One team now, preferably one doing well, he would probably thrive.

"So I think what Harvey needs the most at the moment is game time, he needs to go to a team, settle in and play, and this is where we're going to see the real Harvey Blair, if he can put some form and fitness together.

"Having seen the videos surfacing around about his ability and what he can do behind closed doors and for the U21s, he's certainly a good player. His ability is unquestionable, but he needs game time. So yes, right now a loan move could be the best move for Harvey"

Harvey Blair may be ready to start for Portsmouth after a loan stint away

At 21 years of age, Blair is already reaching an important crossroads in his career.

The comparisons to Kamara are apt, as last season's star Pompey loanee - also 21 - has since become a Championship regular with Hull City, as well as receiving England under-20 recognition.

It therefore seems an uncontroversial opinion to say that the former Melwood man must take one step back in order to go two steps forward. However, in order to entice a club of suitable stature, he must first prove his fitness is up to standard.

League One would be an ideal landing spot come January for Blair for the remainder of the campaign, and if he can show what he's truly about, then next season - whatever division Portsmouth are in - he should be ready to make a real impact out wide.