‘Have Bid’ – Portsmouth Battling Another Club For Long-time Target | OneFootball

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Portsmouth ‘have bid’ for their ‘long time’ admired target Jesper Ceesay, but face competition from Saudi side Al-Fateh for the midfielder’s signature.

Having arrived at Turkish club Antalyaspor last summer, the Gambia international quickly established himself as a regular presence in midfield.

The 24-year-old clocked 2,138 minutes across 31 Turkish Super Lig appearances last season, although Alanyaspor ultimately suffered relegation from the top flight.

The defensive midfielder still has two years remaining on his contract, but Antalyaspor’s relegation has alerted several clubs looking to prise him away from Turkey.

Portsmouth have admired Ceesay for a ‘long time’ and now view the current window as an ideal opportunity to bring him to Fratton Park.

However, Pompey are not alone in the race, with Saudi side Al-Fateh also pushing to secure the midfielder.

According to Swedish daily Expressen, both Portsmouth and Al-Fateh have submitted bids for Ceesay and are now negotiating a transfer.

Both offers are believed to be worth around €1m, although whether that will be enough to convince Antalyaspor to sell is still uncertain.

The Saudi outfit can likely offer a lucrative financial package and long-term security, but whether Ceesay is prepared to leave European football could ultimately prove decisive.

Having successfully secured their Championship status in the recent season, Portsmouth are keen to strengthen further, and landing a player they have tracked for a long period would represent a significant boost.

John Mousinho’s side also pursued midfielder Gibson Yah and were said to be advanced in talks before he eventually joined fellow Championship side Bristol City.

Pompey will be hoping to avoid a repeat of that disappointment with Ceesay, although matching the financial power of Al-Fateh could prove a major challenge.