Portsmouth and John Mousinho will be searching for a remedy following a difficult start to the 2024/25 Championship campaign, but they should look no further than summer signing Josh Murphy.

Mousinho returned to haunt former club Oxford United by securing a free transfer agreement for Murphy, who had only recently concluded the U’s 25-year hiatus from the Championship by scoring both goals in May’s League One play-off final triumph over Bolton Wanderers.

Murphy had been approaching the end of his two-year deal but rejected the offer of a new contract with Oxford to sign for Mousinho, an ex-teammate, during their shared time at the Kassam Stadium.

The signing of Murphy appeared a real statement of intent, first by poaching a prized asset from a team who had also been promoted and then given the player’s pedigree and proven quality, too.

However, the Fratton Park faithful have been forced to patiently bide their time. Murphy, who has been susceptible to spells on the treatment table throughout his career, missed the start of the season with an ankle injury before returning to feature in their last two outings against West Bromwich Albion and Burnley.

Portsmouth’s start to the 2024/25 Championship season

Portsmouth lifted the League One title by a five-point margin over second-placed Derby County and promptly headed into the new season with the highest expectations of any newly-promoted side, both internally and externally.

Indeed, Pompey had been widely backed to not just stave off relegation but solidify themselves rather comfortably among the middle of the pack. Such predictions were not lacking in strong reason, although reality has unfolded in a very different manner after the opening six games of the season.

Alongside bottom-placed outfit Cardiff City – who are not a comforting barometer to be compared against, it must be said – Portsmouth are one of just two Championship clubs still in search of their first victory. Their early-season struggles have rooted them to 23rd position in the league standings, having claimed three draws before three consecutive defeats against Sunderland, West Bromwich Albion.

Portsmouth were obliterated by the former two, and on home soil no less. A certain degree of latitude is required when assessing Pompey, who have had to undertake an incredibly difficult introduction to life back in the Championship.

They have already faced six promotion hopefuls in Leeds United, Luton Town and Middlesbrough alongside the aforementioned trio of teams, but they have little respite with Sheffield United and high-flying surprise package Oxford to play in their next three.

However, by hook or by crook, Portsmouth must nonetheless seek immediate action to remedy a tricky start which could leave them with considerable ground to make up as the second-tier relegation battle goes on into the festive period and beyond.

Josh Murphy could ease Portsmouth, John Mousinho issues

Portsmouth are currently meddling with issues at both ends of the pitch; once again, they find themselves down at the bottom with the beleaguered Bluebirds by measure of goals conceded per match (2.2) and have leaked 13 in total, while an xG of just 5.4, the creation of eight big chances and a return of eight goals indicates attacking shortcomings, too.

Murphy is hardly going to ease Portsmouth’s defensive frailties, but he is more than capable of adding some much-needed X-Factor and star quality to a side sorely lacking in exactly that.

Direct and dynamic, Murphy is electrifying at full throttle and is at his very best when taking on opposition full-backs with confidence, momentum and speed.

His pedigree speaks for itself, having accumulated a strong body of work in the Championship across previous years while even making a sound impression for Cardiff in the Premier League – after they had shelled out a sizable fee of £11m to Norwich City in 2018.

A confidence player by trade, Portsmouth and Mousinho should expect Murphy to frustrate on occasion – his performances can often be accurately predicted within the opening five or ten minutes – but he possesses outstanding talent and is lethal at his very best.

There is a line of thinking among many Bluebirds fans that Murphy would have enjoyed a sustained top-flight career with the addition of consistency.

Of course, though, if he was more consistent then there is little chance he would find himself in the Championship with Portsmouth at the age of 29. That can be to Mousinho’s benefit, mind you, and it is hard to escape the feeling that Murphy can add something extra to this side right now.