Latest news with #KusiniYengi
BBC News
15-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Mousinho expects 'relatively busy' Pompey summer
John Mousinho says he expects a relatively busy summer at Fratton Park, with Pompey eyeing a mix of free-agent signings, purchases and loan Blues boss told BBC Radio Solent this time of year "is probably busier than usual" but said the club are in a "really strong position" having consolidated in the Championship after promotion and are not in any rush to conduct business."Nothing is close at all, we've been tracking players but we're not panicking," he said. "There's definitely a couple of free agents we are interested in but it's likely to be a combination of paying fees for players and bringing loans in."Mousinho added he felt the club's retained list this year "probably wasn't a controversial one".Kusini Yengi scored 13 goals in all competitions in 2023-24 as Pompey won League One, but was not offered a new deal after failing to make a telling impact this term, without a goal in 14 appearances."He was pivotal in us winning the league last season but for a number of reasons it's not quite happened for him this year, including some injuries," Mousinho admitted."It felt like the best way was to not exercise his option and let him explore other options. We're happy where we are in the centre-forward department and didn't see him playing a lot next year."Also departing is left-back Cohen Bramall, who the Blues signed in January on a deal until the end of the season, with Mousinho adding: "It was a good opportunity for him to showcase himself and I think he did well, had a very solid contribution to us managing to stay up and was a very positive influence."The club hope keeper Ben Killip will agree a new deal while they have exercised their option to keep former Arsenal right-back Zak Swanson, with Mousinho saying: "He ended up starting 24 games this year - when he has played I think he's looked every inch a Championship right-back."He added: "There's nothing we are absolutely desperate to do. What we don't want to do is let players go too early and then not necessarily have replacements. It's probably going to be a case of waiting to bring players in before we let players go."It won't be like it has been for the past two summers. It won't be 14 through the door. It won't be one or two. I suspect it'll probably land halfway between them. We're not going to force anything."One of those who remains on the radar is Bristol City defender Rob Atkinson, who enjoyed a successful loan at Pompey to finish the season."Everyone knows we're there and perfectly willing to do a deal for Rob but he's Bristol City's player and we'll see what they do with him first," Mousinho said."If they had gone up it probably would have made things slightly more straightforward but it depends on them."
BBC News
14-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Have Portsmouth got retained list right?
'Have the club made the right calls, plus what does the summer recruitment look like?'In the final Who Needs Mourinho? of the season, Chris Wise, Andy Moon and Guy Whittingham look at Pompey's retained the club right to release Kusini Yengi and keep Zak Swanson?There's also your questions answered in Moon's here to listen to BBC Radio Solent's Who Needs Mourinho podcast via BBC Sounds.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Luckless Socceroos striker Yengi cut by Portsmouth
Kusini Yengi's career is at a crossroads after the Socceroos striker was released by English side Portsmouth. The former Adelaide United and Western Sydney forward arrived at Pompey last season, helping the club gain promotion from League One by registering 13 goals in 31 games. But following Portsmouth's move to the Championship, Yengi has failed to score across just 14 games after battling hamstring and knee injuries. Socceroos coach Tony Popovic is a noted admirer of Yengi and has identified the 26-year-old as a player who can be a point of difference for the national team. 🧊 Ice cold Kusini Yengi...😮💨 A #Pompey Panenka to open the scoring! — Portsmouth FC (@Pompey) March 13, 2024 But Popovic will find it harder to pick the powerful striker if he doesn't secure a move where he can play every week. "He does offer something different to any other striker, any potential striker that we have," Popovic said earlier this month. "There's no one that has that frame or body. I'd love him to use it more. "I'd love him to impose himself a lot more and actually impose himself on the defenders. "But I think he needs to find somewhere to play regular football to do that … That's what I would like all the strikers to do: find an environment where you can play regularly, where you're an important player. "And if you're scoring goals, then regardless of where it is, it's something that we're always searching for." Pompey had an extension option in Yengi's contract but chose not to trigger the clause, allowing the striker to secure a move elsewhere. 🔵 #Pompey's retained list following the conclusion of the 2024/25 season. — Portsmouth FC (@Pompey) May 13, 2025 Fellow Australians Jacob Farrell, Tom Waddingham and Hayden Matthews remain contracted to Portsmouth, who announced Yengi was one of five players set to leave Fratton Park over the off-season. "We would like to thank all those players leaving the club for their service and wish them nothing but the best for the next stage of their careers," said manager John Mousinho, whose side finished the season in 16th spot. "Kusini played a massive part in our memorable League One title success just over a year ago."
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Portsmouth release Yengi as Swanson and Dozzell stay
Portsmouth have released Australian striker Kusini Yengi and taken up options to keep defender Zak Swanson and midfielder Andre Dozzell at the club. Yengi was a vital part of the Pompey side that won promotion to the Championship, making 31 appearances and scoring 13 goals across all competitions in the 2023-24 season. But this term he has struggled for fitness and opportunities, making 14 appearances with no goals. Swanson moved to Fratton Park from Arsenal in 2022 and agreed a new one-year contract in July. This season he made 32 appearances across all competitions with one goal. Dozzell joined the Blues last summer following his departure from QPR. He has been a regular in John Mousinho's side this campaign, featuring 41 times. Also departing are left-back Cohen Bramall, who the Blues signed in January on a deal until the end of the season, midfielder Tom Lowery, winger Anthony Scully and defender Alexander Milosevic. Goalkeeper Ben Killip - who started Portsmouth's final two games of the season - has been offered a new deal. He joined Pompey on a short-term deal in February. Portsmouth finished the season in 16th after they confirmed safety with two games to play. BBC Radio Solent's Portsmouth commentator Andrew Moon: Compared to previous seasons there were not too many decisions for Portsmouth's hierarchy to make at the end of this campaign regarding out-of-contract players. The most notable is the decision to let Kusini Yengi depart on a free transfer. The Australian had an impressive debut season in England but failed to score a single goal in the Championship in an injury-hit campaign. The Blues had a option for an extra year, so they could have taken that and looked to sell him, but options years almost always trigger a wage increase. And there is no guarantee of finding a willing buyer nor Yengi agreeing to a move. Zak Swanson was always going to be dilemma. He has made significantly more appearances in the Championship than in League One, and clearly has the technique and athleticism to play in the second tier. However, his performances have been up and down. He ended up playing just five more minutes during the remainder of the season after making errors for both Derby County's goals in the 2-2 draw at Fratton Park on 12 April. With Swanson, Jordan Williams and Terry Devlin, right-back is a tough position to call next season. Cohen Bramall showed some bright moments after arriving on a free transfer from Rotherham in January. He will have re-lived the final seconds of the loss at Coventry City in his mind countless times, and Portsmouth already have two contracted left-backs for next season, so it was always going to be a battle to stay. Ben Killip was solid in his two end-of-season outings and showed he would be a decent option as third-choice keeper. It was already publicly known that Championship survival would trigger a second year on Andre Dozzell's contract. Alexander Milosevic did not manage to make a single appearance after joining as a free agent. Tom Lowery and Anthony Scully have both been out on loan this season and were always going to depart.
BBC News
13-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Portsmouth release Yengi as Swanson and Dozzell stay
Portsmouth have released Australian striker Kusini Yengi and taken up options to keep defender Zak Swanson and midfielder Andre Dozzell at the was a vital part of the Pompey side that won promotion to the Championship, making 31 appearances and scoring 13 goals across all competitions in the 2023-24 season. But this term he has struggled for fitness and opportunities, making 14 appearances with no moved to Fratton Park from Arsenal in 2022 and agreed a new one-year contract in July. This season he made 32 appearances across all competitions with one joined the Blues last summer following his departure from QPR. He has been a regular in John Mousinho's side this campaign, featuring 41 departing are left-back Cohen Bramall, who the Blues signed in January on a deal until the end of the season, midfielder Tom Lowery, winger Anthony Scully and defender Alexander Milosevic. Goalkeeper Ben Killip - who started Portsmouth's final two games of the season - has been offered a new deal. He joined Pompey on a short-term deal in finished the season in 16th after they confirmed safety with two games to play. 'Not too many decisions to make' - Analysis BBC Radio Solent's Portsmouth commentator Andrew Moon:Compared to previous seasons there were not too many decisions for Portsmouth's hierarchy to make at the end of this campaign regarding out-of-contract most notable is the decision to let Kusini Yengi depart on a free transfer. The Australian had an impressive debut season in England but failed to score a single goal in the Championship in an injury-hit campaign. The Blues had a option for an extra year, so they could have taken that and looked to sell him, but options years almost always trigger a wage increase. And there is no guarantee of finding a willing buyer nor Yengi agreeing to a Swanson was always going to be dilemma. He has made significantly more appearances in the Championship than in League One, and clearly has the technique and athleticism to play in the second his performances have been up and down. He ended up playing just five more minutes during the remainder of the season after making errors for both Derby County's goals in the 2-2 draw at Fratton Park on 12 April. With Swanson, Jordan Williams and Terry Devlin, right-back is a tough position to call next Bramall showed some bright moments after arriving on a free transfer from Rotherham in January. He will have re-lived the final seconds of the loss at Coventry City in his mind countless times, and Portsmouth already have two contracted left-backs for next season, so it was always going to be a battle to Killip was solid in his two end-of-season outings and showed he would be a decent option as third-choice was already publicly known that Championship survival would trigger a second year on Andre Dozzell's Milosevic did not manage to make a single appearance after joining as a free agent. Tom Lowery and Anthony Scully have both been out on loan this season and were always going to depart.
