The Crystal Palace youngster is attracting interest from many Championship clubs, including newly promoted Pompey.
Portsmouth are ready to return to the Championship for the first time in more than a decade, as manager John Mousinho seeks to develop a side capable of competing in the second division.
Pompey won the League One title by playing a possession-based brand of football while also being an exceedingly well-balanced side that was strong in attack and defensively.
Indeed, only Derby County preserved more clean sheets (22) in the third division last season than Portsmouth (19), and only Peterborough United had a greater anticipated goals (xG) total (86.9) than Pompey’s 75, according to FotMob.
Young winger Abu Kamara, who scored eight goals and assisted ten times, was a key player in Portsmouth’s title-winning season.
However, with the Norwich City loanee returning to his parent club this summer, Pompey are looking for a player to fill Kamara’s creative void, with Crystal Palace’s Jesurun Rak-Sakyi reportedly of interest to Mousinho’s side.
Portsmouth are looking to sign Crystal Palace winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.
Miltos Ioannidis, a Portsmouth fan analyst for Football League World, believes that if the south coast club can sign Rak-Sakyi, it would be a clear statement of purpose, given that other clubs are sure to be interested.
“To put it as simply as I can, I think it would be a massive statement of intent if Pompey were to get a player of the calibre of Rak-Sakyi,” Miltos stated to FLW.
“I remember what Rak-Sakyi did for Charlton a few of years ago; he was absolutely incredible for Charlton, and I’m sure everyone would be overjoyed if someone like him came into the building.
“It would be a massive, massive statement of intent, and a massive addition to the team. I think the position that the team is looking to strengthen in right now, either way, is the winger position.
“Especially with the loss of Abu Kamara, who was on loan last season from Norwich. So getting someone like Rak-Sakyi would certainly be a really, really good signing.
“A definite statement of intent.”
Jesurun Rak-Sakyi would be a coup for Portsmouth
Having spent time with multiple elite academies such as Chelsea, Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace respectively, Rak-Sakyi is a player who many clubs have clearly identified as possessing large amounts of talent and potential.
But it was his time with Charlton in the 2022/23 season where he showed that he was ready to make his mark in senior football.
His 15 goals and eight assists in League One as a teenager piqued the interest of numerous scouts and clubs, earning him the opportunity to make eight appearances for Crystal Palace last season, six of which were in the Premier League.
Rak-Sakyi had the most successful dribbles and touches in the opposing box of any League One right-winger during his 2022/23 season with Charlton, according to FotMob data.
Pompey will have Championship competition for the promising young winger’s signature, with Millwall becoming the latest second-tier club linked with a bid for the former England youth international.
However, if Portsmouth can conclude a deal for Rak-Sakyi, it will be regarded as a major coup for the club. Only last summer did eventual Championship championship winners Leicester City begin talks to capture the Palace kid.
He clearly matches the criteria of a perfect Kamara replacement for Mousinho to work with, and if he does join at Fratton Park this summer, Pompey fans will undoubtedly be thrilled.
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