Portsmouth have strengthened their defensive ranks ahead of this weekend’s trip to Deepdale.
John Mousinho has ventured into the free-agent market to sign centre-back Alexander Milosevic. The 33-year-old has answered the Blues’ SOS as they suffer yet another injury crisis at the heart of their backline.
Pompey have brought in additional cover after the head coach revealed at the start of March that January arrival Hayden Matthews will miss the remainder of the campaign due to an ankle injury, while Bristol City loanee Rob Atkinson faces a long-term spell on the sidelines with a calf issue.
The duo add additional strain to the side’s growing injury list as fellow centre-back Conor Shaughnessy isn’t expected to return to training until the end of March. Meanwhile, Ibane Bowat has yet to feature since his summer switch from Fulham after he was ruled out for the rest of the season in September with a knee problem.
That has left Regan Poole and Ryley Towler as the only two fit central defenders at Fratton Park, while captain Marlon Pack has been recruited to help out at the heart of defence alongside Poole.
Milosevic arrives on the south coast as a free agent, with his last outing coming for Swedish side AIK Stockholm in the final game of the 2024 campaign in November.
The 33-year-old has got Championship experience under his belt having made 12 appearances and scoring one goal for Nottingham Forest during the 2018-19 season.
The central defender, who has nine international caps with Sweden, wasn’t named in the squad during Pompey’s 1-0 win against league leaders Leeds. That’s because the Blues are still waiting on international clearance for the former Hannover 96 man, but he is expected to be given the green light to face Plymouth on Wednesday evening.
Mousinho’s men go into the games against the Pilgrims and Preston off the back of Sunday’s triumph against the Whites, continuing their excellent unbeaten home record.
That of course started against Paul Heckingbottom’s side in November, with the Blues losing just once at Fratton Park since the 3-1 victory over North End.
Preston are looking to bounce back from their 1-0 defeat to second-placed Sheffield United and face Sunderland on Tuesday before welcoming Pompey on Saturday. One point currently separate the two sides, who sit 16th and 17th in the Championship table respectively.
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