Portsmouth FC forward Elias Sørensen could leave the club this window, with Norwegian first-division winners Vålerenga agreeing a price with the championship side.
Sørensen joined Pompey in the summer for an undisclosed fee, signing a three-year deal, but the former U-21 Danish international has struggled to get going for John Mousinho’s side.
Farzam Abolhosseini announced that Portsmouth have agreed to a deal with recently promoted Norwegian side Vålerenga, who kick off their Eliteserien campaign in March.
Why did Portsmouth sign Sørensen?
Gearing up for Pompey’s first Championship campaign since 2012, Mousinho’s side faced a hurdle in their preparations, with star player Colby Bishop being forced to undergo heart surgery in pre-season.
Portsmouth didn’t put a time on when Bishop would again be available, but losing their star player meant that they were lacking in depth up top, and another striker may have been needed.
Sørensen’s versatility and record in his previous campaign may have also been a reason why the League One champions brought the 25-year-old in. Sørensen can play both on the left and centrally, this meant that Mousinho could be more flexible with how he used the forward, and it also added depth and competition in two areas.
How has Sørensen fared at Portsmouth?
Sørensen joined Portsmouth after an impressive spell in the Norwegian second division, scoring 23 goals in 30 appearances as well as assisting 11. But the former Newcastle U21 forward could not replicate his goalscoring form in the Championship.
The Danish striker struggled to hit the ground running for Portsmouth, playing 12 times, with four being starts and scoring only once in an emphatic 3-3 draw against Leeds United on his debut.
Sørensen also made an appearance in the Carabao Cup, playing just shy of 30 minutes in a 1-0 loss to Millwall.
In all competitions for Portsmouth, Sørensen played 13 games, starting four and having only one goal contribution.
Portsmouth to let Sørensen leave.
It appears Sørensen is set to leave Portsmouth after only seven months, with Eliteserien side Vålerenga strengthening their attack ahead of the upcoming campaign.
Abolhosseini reported that Pompey are selling the striker for roughly the same price they paid for him back in the summer which is a fee of around 300,000 euros.
It looked as though Portsmouth would not be able to sell Sørensen this window, as he has already played for two clubs this season, but due to Norway’s Eliteserien starting in March, he is eligible to sign and play for Vålerenga.
Sørensen leaving means a space in Portsmouth’s 25-man squad will open up, which can give Mousinho some flexibility in bringing in a new player as they won’t have any worries with registration issues.
It has been a difficult campaign for Sørensen, but if the 25-year-old does leave, it could be interesting to see who Portsmouth bring in this winter window.