John Mousinho is fondly remembered at the Kassam Stadium – and for good reason, too.

The former defender spent six seasons in Oxfordshire, often captaining the side and occupying a player-coach role before departing in January 2023 to become the Head Coach of then-League One rivals Portsmouth.

However, there may just be an inkling of frustration towards the 38-year-old in the wake of Oxford’s first promotion to the second-tier in over 20 years.

Indeed, their long-awaited ascension arrived through the play-offs, where Josh Murphy scored twice at Wembley to direct a 2-0 triumph over Bolton Wanderers in May.

With Murphy’s two-year contract drawing to a conclusion, though, it had begun to feel as though the ex-Cardiff City forward had made his final appearance for the U’s in style, and he was unsurprisingly not short of interest elsewhere.

Although it was reported that the likes of West Bromwich Albion and Sunderland among other second-tier suitors were keen on securing his signature ahead of the upcoming campaign, Mousinho eventually emerged as the man to prize the winger away.

At 29, the stability of the three-year deal offered by Portsmouth provides a rationale behind Murphy’s decision, which will no doubt leave Oxford licking their wounds for some time.

Josh Murphy’s transfer to Portsmouth will hurt Oxford United

Whilst Oxford possess various crucial tools to acclimate to the added demands of Championship football, such as fresh and progressive talent in the form of Tyler Goodrham and Ruben Rodrigues, and are headed by Des Buckingham’s fluid attacking approach, there is a real dearth of tangible know-how of the division among their squad.

Meanwhile, Murphy was very much an exception to that potential weakness, having amassed well over 100 Championship appearances during previous spells with Norwich, Cardiff City and Preston North End.

Indeed, Murphy’s arsenal even features Premier League pedigree, having initially caught the eye for Cardiff after sealing an £11m top-flight switch in 2018.

It’s hard not to feel that such a wealth of experience in English football’s top-two tiers would’ve been crucial in a young dressing room, particularly for impressive 20-year-old midfielder Goodrham – who can also operate out wide.

Statistically speaking, Murphy’s numerics are generally solid barring his first and most recent season, the latter of which was blighted by injury during an unsuccessful loan spell at Deepdale.

They don’t quite tell the full story, however, as many wingers are gifted enough to influence matches and their team’s attacking dynamic without necessarily contributing with significant goal returns.

Reported Barcelona transfer target Jaden Philogene was a chief example of that across his entertaining loan stay with the Bluebirds – which foreshadowed his current success with Hull City – and, admittedly to a lesser extent, Murphy has also done so.

Consistency has been the primary restriction within Murphy’s career, with the left-winger intermittently appearing capable of lighting up the Championship, but it’s never really arrived on a frequent basis.

Nonetheless, the enigmatic X-factor that he can implant on matches – as displayed on Wembley Way – would’ve been pivotal for a side who will likely be looking to simply secure survival through slender victories in games that are often defined by such pivotal moments.

Portsmouth’s Josh Murphy transfer can be a benefit at Oxford United’s expense

You would dare to presume that Portsmouth’s chances of avoiding an immediate return to League One are rosier than those of Oxford, who now must strive to dictate their own destiny by adequately replacing Murphy.

There is even a school of thought that, following the promising foundations constructed by Mousinho, they will steer clear of being dragged into any form of relegation dogfight whatsoever.

But as we all surely know by now, the Championship offers little license for certainties – so what’s to rule out Portsmouth finding themselves sacrificing consistency for moments of one-off brilliance when the going gets tough?

Away from that, Murphy also represents a direct replacement for Abu Kamara, who has returned to parent club Norwich after directly contributing eighteen goals in Portsmouth’s promotion charge.

Kamara provided Pompey’s flanks with directness and flair, completing 57 successful dribbles and winning 49 fouls over the course of the season.

And Murphy, who is often targeted by opponents himself, broadly shares a similar footballing profile with his ability in 1v1 situations.

Equally capable of standing up defenders and stretching backlines, Murphy’s dynamism will help to remedy what’s been lost following Kamara’s Carrow Road return, and he’ll have plenty of scope to play to his strengths in a side that will be keen on sticking to their principles and trying to see as much of the ball as possible.

It’s financially viable, too – whilst there are justified question marks towards handing a three-year deal to a player set to celebrate his 30th birthday next February, sealing the signing as a free transfer is an inarguable coup for the south coast outfit.

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