Portsmouth facing fresh John Mousinho blow as mystery EFL club set to battle Bristol City | OneFootball

John Mousinho's future at Portsmouth has become the subject of intense speculation this summer

Bristol City are searching for a new head coach following the end of the Championship season - and they may now have a problem in trying to appoint one of their main contenders.

The Robins appointed Roy Hodgson for the final weeks of the season after the decision to part ways with Gerhard Struber during the March international break.

The 78-year-old came out of retirement to oversee a 12th place finish in the table, with the club coming 11 points adrift of the play-offs.

But he has stepped back from his role with the regular term now over, leaving Bristol City in need of a permanent replacement.

One name that has been linked with the vacancy is Portsmouth boss John Mousinho, whose future at Fratton Park is under question.

He led the Hampshire outfit to an 18th place finish in their second season back in the Championship, earning plenty of plaudits during his tenure with the club.

Bristol City face mysterious John Mousinho competition

It has been reported by The News that Mousinho is garnering attention from another unnamed Championship side as uncertainty over his future grows.

The claim suggests that there is currently a manager in place at the mystery club, but that they are already planning for a potential change in the dugout over the summer.

If that change comes, then Mousinho is top of the shortlist to take over for next season, providing a potential block for Bristol City in their bid to bring in the 40-year-old.

This adds further fuel to the speculation that the former EFL defender/midfielder could leave his position at Fratton Park, which has been the first managerial position of his career.

It remains to be seen whether an official approach will be made from either Bristol City or the unnamed outfit to appoint Mousinho.

The potential teams that fit the bill to swoop for the Portsmouth boss include, but are not limited to, Sheffield United, Birmingham City, QPR, Stoke City and potentially more.

While Chris Wilder, Chris Davies, Julien Stéphan and Mark Robins are all currently in place at those clubs respectively, it wouldn’t come as a shock if any of them opted for a change in manager during the off-season due to indifferent form over 2025-26.

Wolves could also be a factor, although it appears unlikely at this stage that Rob Edwards will depart the Premier League side as they transition to the second tier after suffering relegation this season.

Portsmouth fans will certainly be hoping Mousinho stays, as he has become a favourite among supporters for his role in bringing the team back to the Championship.

John Mousinho exit from Portsmouth looking increasingly likely

It is clear that Mousinho wants assurances from the Portsmouth owners about receiving proper backing this summer, and if he doesn’t get that then an exit could well be on the cards.

Bristol City certainly have the resources to match the 40-year-old’s ambitions, and they did reach the play-offs as recently as last year, showing they can fight for a place in the Premier League.

But there are a lot of possibly alluring jobs in the Championship that could yet become available, so the Robins may want to act quickly if they feel Mousinho is their man.

Portsmouth fans will hate the prospect of losing Mousinho, but it is becoming increasingly likely that he departs Fratton Park this summer the way things are going.