Harvey Blair is unlikely to play for Portsmouth again before the January transfer window. Sporting director Richard Hughes confirmed the 23-year-old forward is outside the club's 25-man EFL squad and will not feature unless circumstances change drastically.
"Harvey is outside the squad list at the moment, he’s been doing some training after having had some sickness and illness," Hughes said. The decision stems from Blair's stated wish to depart. "He made his intentions clear that he wanted to leave the club in the summer window," Hughes added.
Reasons for exclusion
Portsmouth had three vacancies in their squad but opted against including Blair. The club tried to facilitate a move before the deadline, with interest from Polish side Widzew Lodz, but deals collapsed due to complications elsewhere. Blair is now training separately while the club works to find him a new club in January. Hughes stressed he is not blaming anyone for the failed summer business.
Blair's Portsmouth spell
Blair joined from Liverpool for £300,000 in August 2024. He made 29 appearances for Pompey, scoring once in a 2-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday last April. Only seven of those were Championship starts, and his sole appearance this term was as a substitute against Bristol City. The former Liverpool youth prospect, who made his professional debut under Jurgen Klopp, has struggled to establish himself at this level.
Portsmouth, currently 19th in the Championship with eight points from seven games, have moved on. Head coach John Mousinho is expected to use the squad places on returning players like Josh Murphy, Connor Ogilvie and Keshi Anderson. The team's recent form shows one win, two draws and two losses from their last five matches.
The club's immediate focus is on improving their league position, while Blair's future will be addressed when the transfer window reopens in January.
The original report is at The News
