Portsmouth only just missed out on the play-offs last season. They finished 8th and just a win shy of the top six.
Portsmouth are a week away from going again – this time under Danny Cowley. The former Huddersfield Town boss has strengthened Pompey with a number of players.
He is still taking a look at others with next season’s League One season being just a week away. Cowley and his charges face a long haul to Fleetwood Town.
One man that he intends to continue looking at, according to reporter Andrew Moon on Twitter (tweet – below) is ex-Norwich City man Louis Thompson:
Louis Thompson will remain on trial at #Pompey, Cowley says there is no questioning his ability as a player but they need to be sure he’s robust enough to survive the season given his injury record
— Andrew Moon (@mrandrewmoon) July 31, 2021
Who is Louis Thompson?
26-year-old Thompson is a midfielder who is a free agent after cancelling his Norwich City deal last week. Local source The News reported that Thompson was training with Pompey.
He’d been at Carrow Road since 2014 after signing him from Swindon Town. The Canaries then loaned him back to the Robins until the end of the 2015/16 season.
Thompson then spent three years at Carrow Road, leaving on loan to Shrewsbury in mid-August 2019. A season-and-a-half of loans then saw him land at MK Dons.
On trial with Portsmouth – Cowley’s concerns
His time at Norwich City was blighted by injury – that forming a concern for Danny Cowley as per Moon’s tweet. In total, four separate injuries whilst with the Canaries have seen Thompson miss 111 games.
These absences have obviously spooked Danny Cowley and that is something hinted at in Moon’s tweet. What Cowley wants to see is an extended trial, no doubt with the intention to better assess his fitness and durability.
Thoughts?
Would Portsmouth be a better side with Louis Thompson at the club? Yes, they would. He’s a class player and showed that in his 109 appearances for Swindon Town.
However, Thompson would only be of use to Pompey if he was fit. You can’t blame Danny Cowley for wanting to take a longer look at him to ensure this is the case.
Even though he is a free agent and would come without the need for a fee, he would still cost Portsmouth a salary. Cowley is right to err on the side of caution rather than rush in and sign the former Norwich City man.
