Portsmouth should push to seal blockbuster Abu Kamara replacement from Crystal Palace: View | OneFootball

John Mousinho will already have the wheels in motion ahead of Portsmouth’s return to the Championship, with one key member of the League One winning side needing to be replaced.

Abu Kamara starred at Fratton Park while on loan from Norwich City, with 18 goal involvements over the course of the campaign, in what proved to be a breakthrough year for the young talent.

The 20-year-old was at the heart of everything that Pompey did well in the final third, but with his return to Carrow Road, plans will need to be made to find a player who can have a similar impact in the following campaign.

With links to Jesurun Rak-Sakyi already surfacing earlier this month, the south coast side have their replacement in mind, and should be doing all they can to bring the Crystal Palace man to the club this summer.

Portsmouth keen on Jesurun Rak-Sakyi despite 2023-24 struggles

Rak-Sakyi has already caught the eye with an EFL loan back in the 2022/23 campaign, as he ran riot for Charlton Athletic in League One, with 23 goal contributions for the Addicks while still a teenager.

It had become a common sight at The Valley for the winger to cut in from the flank and unleash an unstoppable shot into either corner, as well as putting the ball on a plate for a teammate to score after taking defenders out of the game with his quick feet.

The only thing faster than his feet is his mind, with his decision-making and ability to bamboozle defences making him a player with the potential to have a top career in the game, with an EFL loan likely to do him the world of good for the next campaign.

The young star was kept at Selhurst Park for the most recent season, although injuries restricted him to just six Premier League appearances for the Eagles in the early part of the campaign, and no game-time under new boss Oliver Glasner, meaning it was a bit of a struggle - and game-time isn't likely next seasin either.

A hat-trick against Tottenham Hotspur for the Palace development side last month proves that the winger is back to his best though, and needs regular minutes in order to fulfil his potential going forward.

Abu Kamara's likely Norwich City future should lead to Portsmouth's move for Jesurun Rak-Sakyi

In an ideal world, Pompey would love to get Kamara back for another stint at Fratton Park next season, but parent club Norwich must be debating whether to give the tricky forward game time at Carrow Road in the not-to-distant future.

With a scintillating season under his belt, Kamara will feel hard done by if he doesn’t get rewarded with a chance in the first team for the Norfolk side next season, having proven his qualities over the past 12 months.

With the sacking of David Wagner last week, Kamara will have a new boss to try to impress in East Anglia over the summer, and that fresh start could do him the world of good, as he tries to stake his claim alongside the likes of Jon Rowe, Gabriel Sara and Borja Sainz.

Upon the conclusion of the 23/24 campaign, the Pompey loanee hadn’t completely shut the door on a return to Fratton Park in the future.

“It’s my first loan, a very productive loan, and champions. You can’t ask for more.

Although Pompey fans would love nothing more than a reunion with their temporary trailblazer, contingency plans have to be put in place, and a move for Rak-Sakyi would help to soften the blow if Kamara stays put at Carrow Road this summer.

With both players possessing the ability to glide along the turf, leaving defenders in their wake as they do so, a move for the Crystal Palace man would make so much sense, with Mousinho already having a successful blueprint in place for success, with a like-for-like replacement helping with the transition to the Championship.

As signings go it would show ambition from the League One Champions, and prove they mean business on their return to the second tier; with sides knowing they will have to be on top of their game to emerge from Fratton Park with a result.