Portsmouth are readying a final bid for MTK Budapest midfielder Mark Kosznovszky as they look to fend off interest from Sheffield United and seal a key summer signing.
The former Hungarian Under 21 international has emerged as a top target for John Mousinho’s side following a standout season in Nemzeti Bajnokság I.
Pompey Push Hard for Hungarian Midfield Star
According to reports from Italy, Portsmouth are expected to make their final offer in the coming days as they attempt to reach an agreement with MTK Budapest over a deal for the 23-year-old. The Fratton Park club had previously tabled a bid of £500,000, which was turned down.
Kosznovszky contributed three goals and five assists in 30 league games last season and has drawn attention with his all-action, box-to-box style. A product of the Parma academy, the midfielder is now viewed as one of Hungary’s brightest talents outside the national team setup.
𝗘𝗫𝗖𝗟: Clubs are close to agreeing on the transfer fee for Márk #Kosznovszky. Final bid from #Portsmouth expected within 3-4 days.
Personal terms not settled yet, but both sides are pushing to get the deal done.
Agreement on personal terms will follow club-to-club deal. https://t.co/IDUGy9tm0S pic.twitter.com/uZpJsS8oJT
— Lorenzo Lepore (@lorenzooleporee) July 10, 2025
Portsmouth face competition from other European clubs, including reported interest from Sheffield United and teams in Italy. The final fee and personal terms are still to be agreed, but Pompey are said to be pushing hard to get the deal over the line ahead of the new Championship season.
With Freddie Potts and Isaac Hayden returning to their parent clubs and Abdoulaye Kamara expected to depart, midfield options are thin. Marlon Pack, now 33, covered in defence for much of last season, while Terry Devlin has increasingly been used at right-back.
That leaves just Andre Dozzell and young Reuben Swann in the centre of the park, underlining the urgent need for reinforcements.
Writer’s View
Mark Kosznovszky is exactly the kind of signing that can define Portsmouth’s summer. Intelligent, mobile and confident in possession, he brings the dynamism that the midfield lacked at times last season. With Potts and Hayden gone, and Pack slowing down, Mousinho has a real void to fill.
The question is whether Kosznovszky can make the leap from Hungarian football to the intensity of the Championship. But at 23, with a solid European footballing education behind him, he represents a low-risk, high-upside investment. If Pompey can move quickly and hold off the likes of Sheffield United, this could be one of the more astute signings of the window.
