Portsmouth manager John Mousinho would be keen on a reunion with former star Ronan Curtis, according The News.
The 27-year-old departed Fratton Park at the end of last season following the expiration of his contract after reportedly turning down a new reduced-terms deal. The winger has been out of action since February after suffering an ACL injury during the 3-1 win over Bolton Wanderers and is currently without a club as he continues his rehabilitation.
Curtis has remained with Pompey throughout the summer months on an uncontracted basis, with the club helping him secure the best recovery possible. After hitting 57 goals in 226 appearances over five seasons, his stock is still high and he is thought to be attracting Championship interest from Blackburn Rovers, Bristol City and Cardiff City.
The Republic of Ireland international is now returning a return to fitness, leading Mousinho to contemplate whether to revisit contract negotiations. In quotes supplied by local news outlet The News, the boss said;
“It will be a really interesting one, and it’s probably one for Ronan to answer over anyone else.
“He turned a contract down, but there is the possibility we can revisit that, but at the moment we’ve respected Ronan’s choice on that and understood his reasons.
“It was amicable on where we were with that, hence you will still see him around the place smiling and happy, so there’s no issue with that – it’s a bridge we can still cross.
“We’re certainly not ruling that out (Curtis having a Pompey future). The club and Ronan were apart on where they see it, but my take was it would be nice to have Ronan for another year to see if he could come back.
“We obviously couldn’t work that out, but my opinion on that hasn’t changed. If you can Ronan Curtis back fit and firing then he is a real asset.”
Writer’s View
Ronan Curtis is a player that was a big hero at Fratton Park over the past five years and fans will be eager to see if the club can reach a deal to bring him back. The fact that he has remained at Pompey during his rehabilitation shows that there an excellent relationship there and Mousinho’s public declaration suggests that he may have already had some sort of conversation with the player.
Championship interest is understandable for a player of his calibre and with the transfer window now closed, many clubs are scouring the free agent market for quality upgrades. Curtis will fit that bill for many, and Portsmouth may feel that they need to strike before other clubs show their hand.
