£7.5k-a-week Portsmouth star could be big loser of £1.2m transfer agreement | OneFootball

Portsmouth's decision to strike an agreement for midfielder Márk Kosznovszky could signal a ruthless reshuffle in John Mousinho's engine room

Portsmouth's decision to strike an agreement for MTK Budapest midfielder Márk Kosznovszky could signal a ruthless reshuffle in John Mousinho's engine room.

Football Insider reported that Pompey have negotiated a £1.2m deal with MTK for 23-year-old Hungary U21 international Kosznovszky.

The versatile midfielder - capable of playing as a 6, 8 or 10 - made 25 top-flight appearances last term, contributing three goals and three assists as MTK finished fifth.

Portsmouth reportedly beat Championship rivals Swansea City to his signature after doubling an earlier bid of €600k lodged earlier this month.

Portsmouth's determination to invest in their midfield comes after consolidating their return to the second-tier last term, finishing 16th - and big summer changes always appeared inevitable if they are wanting to keep progressing.

Andre Dozzell could be under pressure at Portsmouth

Former Ipswich Town and QPR midfielder, Andre Dozzell, signed a 12-month deal last summer which automatically extended when Pompey avoided relegation, tying him to the club until 2026 - but last season's output left plenty to be desired.

Despite glimpses of early-season promise, a ten-game winless run saw the 26-year-old lose his starting place, with Marlon Pack and Freddie Potts the preferred duo in midfield for October.

Mousinho highlighted Dozzell's "athleticism" upon him signing, yet he only completed five successful dribbles all season - and both Kosnovszky and Dozzell are obvious competitors for the same spot in Mousinho's favoured double pivot now due to the minimal options they have.

Factor in the hefty fee and likely multi-year deal the prospective new arrival will receive, and all logic points to Kosznovszky being one of the first names on the teamsheet each week if he's available.

Kosznovsky has been used mainly as a central midfielder for MTK, so he will have to get used to playing slightly deeper in Mousinho's system - but his seven yellow cards last season suggest a willingness to always enter a tackle.

Competition for midfield places intensifies at Fratton Park

The signing of John Swift gives Pompey not only a proven Championship creator but also someone who naturally fills the number 10 position - where Dozzell occasionally deputised, and Swift has over 300 second-tier outings to his name.

The 30-year-old Portsmouth native will likely battle with Callum Lang for the attacking midfield position, but Lang is also very comfortable out wide - so opportunities for Dozzell to start have seemingly narrowed, and it's perhaps not ideal for someone who's on an estimated £7.5k per week. Using Capology estimates, Dozzell is the third highest-paid player at the club, behind Colby Bishop and Matt Ritchie.

Injuries in a Championship season are somewhat inevitable though, and Portsmouth are severely lacking in central areas of the pitch after Isaac Hayden's and Freddie Potts' loan deals expired, so they are in need of depth anyway. Based off their use of loan signings last season - in which they made a total of six - you can definitely see them making some temporary deals this summer to add to that number.

The coming weeks could prove telling for Dozzell's starting prospects. John Mousinho will obviously be hoping he starts the season much stronger as the gaffer, and his first summer signings suggest a strong desire to not come under any early pressure this time.

If Dozzell cannot seize his chances in pre-season, he risks being edged out by newcomers with a point to prove and a higher ceiling. The reality post-Kosznovszky is that he may now need to fight harder than ever simply to stay in contention at Fratton Park - and his goal contributions in a blue shirt so far are not much of a persuasive factor for him to be used in a more advanced position ahead of Lang or Swift.