Portsmouth head coach John Mousinho has confirmed that winger Josh Murphy is facing a fresh setback in his recovery from a groin injury. The 31-year-old has been unavailable for Pompey since April after undergoing surgery, and it now seems he will not be fit for the start of the season.
What happened?
Mousinho spoke after a goalless draw against German side Darmstadt, confirming that Murphy is still struggling with minor niggles. "Yeah, it's just sort of ongoing minor niggles with Josh," he said. "We're still probably about three weeks away from seeing him back in full training, so it's a frustrating one."
Why it matters for Portsmouth
The setback is a blow for Portsmouth, who are already 40 points behind leaders Coventry in the title race. The club's recent form has been DWLWW, and they will be hoping to get Murphy back to full fitness as soon as possible.
What comes next?
Portsmouth's next fixture is against Cardiff at home on September 5, and it remains to be seen whether Murphy will be fit to play. The club will be hoping to get some positive news on his recovery in the coming weeks.
League standing (final 2025 table -- new season not yet under way): 18th in Championship, 55 pts, 14W-13D-19L from 46 games, recent form DWLWW. Goals this season: 49 scored, 64 conceded (-15 goal difference). Last result: Portsmouth 1-1 Birmingham (2026-05-02). Recent form (last 1): 0W-1D-0L (D, most recent first); unbeaten in the last 1. Next fixture: vs Cardiff (at home, 2026-09-05).
