Championship side Portsmouth have shot down reports that they are rivalling Derby County, Bolton Wanderers and Sheffield Wednesday for the signing of Blackpool loanee Karamoko Dembele.
The 21-year-old forward spent last season on loan at Blackpool in League One, contributing eight goals and 13 assists in 39 appearances, fast becoming a fan favourite for the Seasiders. He picked up the Players’ Player and Supporters’ Player of the Season awards, with Neil Critchley’s side reportedly hopeful of bringing the player back to the club.
However, interest from Championship clubs soon emerged and all but closed the door on a potential return. Get French Football News (via L’Équipe) reported that the attacking midfielder does not have a future with Brest, despite his impressive spell and would be one of four players with multiple years left on their contract to be departing this summer.
A huge host of clubs had been linked with moved for the player over the latter half of the season, including Premier League sides Everton, West Ham, Nottingham Forest, Brentford and Southampton, as well as Championship sides Leeds United, Middlesbrough and Sheffield Wednesday.
However, this summer only Derby County, Sheffield Wednesday, Bolton Wanderers and Portsmouth have been firmly linked. The latter have, despite journalist Darren Witcoop suggesting the club have tabled a bid, rejected these claims.
Pompey boss John Mousinho responded to the claims to local publication The News: ‘There’s nothing in that at the moment, that’s another one there’s no preparing or readying a bid!’
What is the truth in Portsmouth’s interest?
The Portsmouth boss was keen to shut down the news, but did not go so far as to say there was no interest. In his response he just shuts down the notion that there has been a bid tabled, but stops short of outright denying anything else.
However, it could simply be a case of keeping his options open, there are very few occasions that a manager will outright reject interest in a player, especially mid-transfer window as situations can move quickly with all sorts of twists and turns. Or it could simply be an over excited agent trying to drum up additional interest in his player, who is in desperate need of a new club.
Wherever the truth lies, there is bound to be interest, he performed well at League One level, and is publicly available, meaning he is likely to be cheaper than other options.