Portsmouth manager John Mousinho has openly acknowledged the club’s sense of frustration as young forward Harry Clout fights to secure his long-term future at Fratton Park. The 19-year-old attacker, who made his senior debut for Pompey during their FA Cup defeat to Wycombe in January 2025, is one of eight players whose contracts are due to expire at the end of the current season.
Clout, considered a promising talent, signed his first professional contract with the club in July after progressing through the youth ranks. Notably, he was the only player from Sam Hudson’s under-18 squad to be retained following their graduation. Despite this early show of faith, his development over the season has not gone as planned.
The young forward has struggled to gain meaningful playing time during loan spells at Farnborough, Welling United, and Havant & Waterlooville (the Hawks). Across those three temporary moves, he has made just 12 appearances and failed to make a significant impact at any of the clubs. His time at the Hawks was particularly disappointing, as he did not feature in a single first-team squad.
With the non-league loan window now closed, Clout no longer has the option of gaining further match experience elsewhere before the end of the campaign. As a result, Portsmouth must now closely assess his progress in training as they decide whether to offer him a new deal.
Mousinho admitted that both the player and the club had hoped for more consistent game time during his loan spells. He explained that while there were various factors affecting each move, the overall outcome has been less than ideal. For a player in his first professional season, the expectation is to make an impact while out on loan, something Clout has been unable to achieve so far.
Despite the setbacks, the Portsmouth boss believes there are advantages to keeping the youngster at the club. Training regularly with the first team allows the coaching staff to monitor his development closely—something that isn’t possible when he is out on loan. Mousinho pointed out that while loan spells offer valuable match experience, staying in-house also has its own benefits, particularly when it comes to direct coaching and evaluation.
Clout is not the only young player under consideration. Midfielder Reuben Swann, who was recently recalled from a loan spell at Havant & Waterlooville, is also out of contract this summer. Swann has since been involved with the first-team setup, even appearing as an unused substitute in Portsmouth’s 3–1 victory over Millwall. Mousinho is similarly using training sessions to assess his progress.
In addition to these youngsters, several senior players—including Connor Ogilvie, Marlon Pack, Andre Dozzell, Zak Swanson, Jordan Archer, and Toby Steward—could also become free agents at the end of the season, adding further importance to the club’s decision-making in the coming months.
For now, Mousinho believes Clout can still benefit from being part of a stronger training environment. With more players returning from injury and improved squad numbers, Portsmouth are able to run more effective training sessions. This gives the coaching staff a better opportunity to evaluate players like Clout and Swann, while also helping those not regularly involved in matchday squads maintain their fitness and sharpness.
Ultimately, the remainder of the season will be crucial for Clout as he attempts to prove his worth and earn a new contract, with his future at Portsmouth hanging in the balance.
