Portsmouth told to seal West Brom transfer reunion 'if Mousinho wants it to happen' | OneFootball

Former Portsmouth favourite Jed Wallace will be a free agent this summer as his contract with West Brom expires.

Portsmouth are preparing for a huge summer after avoiding relegation to League One under John Mousinho.

The 40-year-old has done an outstanding job since he arrived at Fratton Park in 2023, with the club having won promotion to the Championship, and they’re now gearing up for a third consecutive year in the second tier.

However, there are doubts about Mousinho’s future, amid interest from fellow Championship clubs, and there is a real possibility he moves on ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

No matter what happens, it’s clear Pompey need to do a lot of work in the window, but they won’t be able to operate at the level of many competitors, as the budget simply isn’t there.

Portsmouth favourite Jed Wallace is a free agent after leaving West Brom

So, Portsmouth will be on the lookout for potential bargains, and one player who is available on a free transfer is Jed Wallace.

The winger needs no introduction to fans, as he played over 100 times for the club after joining as a teenager, with Wallace a rare bright spot in what was a difficult period for Pompey, and his sale to Wolves brought some much-needed funds at the time.

After starring for Millwall, Wallace has spent the past four years with West Brom, but Albion have announced he will be departing in a matter of weeks when his contract officially ends.

Therefore, the 32-year-old will be on the lookout for his next club, and it had been claimed earlier this year that Portsmouth would consider bringing Wallace back to the south coast.

Yet, when asked by FLW about whether a reunion would make sense, Portsmouth fan pundit Miltos made it clear that the decision must rest with Mousinho, as he insists the fact Wallace played for the club previously shouldn’t count for much.

“I would be open to it if John Mousinho wants him.

“There is value in bringing someone like Wallace to the club with his experience and Championship pedigree.

“What I would be against though, is just signing a player for nostalgia, or because he was Pompey through and through, or has a past with this club. I don’t think, as an institution, we’ve got a tendency to do that, and it’s worked a couple of times, with Marlon Pack and Matt Ritchie.

“But, it’s more that the fan base is too attached, or too obsessed with signing ex-players because they were successful with us before.

“So, I wouldn’t lose sleep over it. If Mousinho wants Wallace, and we see him at the club, I would be happy with that, but if it doesn’t happen, I would be okay with it.

“We were linked with him last summer as well, and there was nothing in it at all. From his personal view, he will be looking for a new challenge, whether that’s Pompey or not, we shall wait and see, but I would be open to it if Mousinho wants this to happen.”

Jed Wallace will feel he can still operate at Championship level

Most would agree that the manager needs to have the final say on which players are brought to the club, and Mousinho certainly has enough credit in the bank.

As for Wallace, there’s no denying he isn’t the same player of a few years ago, as he has had some bad luck with injuries which have impacted the way he can play.

But, he was never someone who was entirely reliant on pace, as Wallace is intelligent in how he picks up positions, and he has good technical ability.

When you factor in his experience, it’s a low-risk move to bring him in on a free if it’s something that Portsmouth consider, even if further additions are still required in the attacking third.

It shouldn’t be a decisive factor that Portsmouth are a club close to Wallace’s heart, as it’s all about getting the best possible players, but it certainly doesn’t do any harm, and if the ex-Millwall man did return to Fratton Park, he would be determined to succeed and enhance his already positive reputation.