Portsmouth face a stumbling block in their pursuit of defender Di’Shon Bernard due to his international commitments, as revealed by The Portsmouth News.
Bernard spent the second half of last season on loan at Fratton Park and the powerful defender’s performances impressed boss John Mousinho, with the club now making the 22-year-old their number one target in the summer transfer window.
And they were boosted last week with news that the defender had been released from his contract with Premier League side Manchester United. The news of Bernard becoming a free agent was a boost to many at Fratton Park, with several people wishing the club reportedly confident of completing the signing.
The player’s preference to joining a Championship club has also not impacted the club’s optimism of signing Bernard, but any move will be on hold currently, with the defender’s breakthrough into the Jamaica national team hindering any contract talks that may take place.
Bernard qualifies to play for the Jamaican national team through his father being born there and he went on to make his debut for the side on Thursday, as they were defeated 2-1 by previous World Cup hosts Qatar.
The fixtures are preparation for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, beginning on June 24th. The defender will be looking to make his way into the squad for the tournament after being named in the provisional squad for the friendlies, making his debut as a 65th-minute substitute.
Portsmouth have registered interest with Bernard’s representatives, even before his release as Mousinho has previously expressed his desire to make the defender’s signing permanent. Bernard’s international participation leaves Portsmouth waiting and should he be a part of the Gold Cup squad, they will have to play the waiting game even longer.
The former Chelsea academy talent featured ten times for Pompey last season, with most of those coming at the later stages of last season, as he started the final four games of the League One season after he joined in January on the final day of the winter transfer window. Bernard will be assessing his options and hoping he will be attracting the eye of Championship clubs after having already made appearances in the second tier with Hull City.
Writer’s View
The defender still has a lot of time to improve his game at just 22 years old and will be looking for a club that can progress his development. With the news that Bernard is preferring offers from Championship clubs, it may hinder a potential move further, however, the Blues have already made signings as they look to return to the second tier themselves. Fratton Park could be the ideal destination for Bernard and they could partner well together.
Want to find out more about Portsmouth’s transfer window? Find out more here as Callum of TREFL takes a look and provides an update.
