Portsmouth are expected to complete the loan signing of Chelsea winger Ryan Kavuma-McQueen this week.
Portsmouth have re-signed Abu Kamara as their recruitment drive steps up. He joins Pompey from Hull City as a new option on the wing, but he might not be the only addition out wide this week.
According to The Athletic, Chelsea prospect Ryan Kavuma-McQueen is also set to see a move to Fratton Park sealed. The 17-year-old has been away with the Premier League side on their pre-season trips to Australia and Asia, but with those tours now down, he is set to join Pompey this week.
Kavuma-McQueen will join John Mousinho’s side on a season-long loan deal. The talented teenager mainly plays on the left but can operate on the right as well, also being used in a central role on occasion.
With Kavuma-McQueen widely expected to follow Kamara through the door at Portsmouth, Mousinho now has plenty of depth in the wide areas. In fact, their impending arrivals could raise questions over the futures of some players.
Adrian Segecic seems bound to play as a no.10 this term. That means Kamara will have a run at locking down the starting spot, and Josh Murphy is likely to be favoured on the left.
Beyond the starting pair, there is plenty of cover. Kavuma-McQueen – should he join – can compete for a place on both flanks, while all of Keshi Anderson, Harvey Blair and Franco Umeh are all capable of playing on both sides too.
Blair and Umeh have both had injury problems but six wingers is too much for Pompey to manage. At least one winger will benefit from a move elsewhere, and maybe two.
The good thing is that Portsmouth now have room to shuffle the pack. It would have been a risk to let players go without having new options in to take their place.
The Verdict: Ryan Kavuma-McQueen an exciting addition for Pompey, but he needs time
At only 17, Kavuma-McQueen is still very raw. He needs time to settle into senior football with Portsmouth before he can be expected to make an impact, and that will take time.
However, he is a skilful, two-footed player with a real burst of pace. Mousinho will likely use him as an impact player off the bench first, but the Chelsea prospect will be eager to announce himself on the senior stage by breaking into the first XI over the course of the campaign.
Age GroupGamesGoalsAssistsU21s2594U18s23133UEFA U19s421
As said though, someone of his age needs time. Supporters must be patient with Kavuma-McQueen this campaign, as before long, he could start to emerge as a real asset for Pompey over the course of his loan.
Few players make the jump into senior football at just 17. It speaks volumes about the loan target’s potential and how highly he is rated by both Chelsea and Portsmouth.
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