Remember him? One of Portsmouth's own faces uncertain Fratton future after five games in three years

While one of Pompey’s own has skippered his club to the League One title, another faces a career crossroads as the Blues' forgotten man.

In August 2021, highly-promising teenager Haji Mnoga signed a three-year deal tying him to Fratton Park.

He has subsequently featured just five more times, never under John Mousinho, and is out of contract this summer.

Indeed, the Somerstown lad has spent the vast majority of the last three years away from Pompey, with loan spells of varying success at Bromley, Weymouth, Gillingham and Aldershot (twice).

Now aged 22 and with the Blues booked to participate in the Championship next season, Mnoga is waiting to learn his Fratton future. In truth, it looks bleak.

However, his stock remains high in the National League following an impressive season with Aldershot as a first-team regular.

The former Trafalgar School pupil initially caught the Shots’ eye during an encouraging loan spell in the second half of last term.

That became a season-long arrangement for 2023-24, with Mnoga featuring 37 times, of which 36 outings were starts, and collecting one red card as they finished eighth in the National League.

Establishing himself on the right of a back three, the versatile defender has shone for Tommy Widdrington’s men in a play-off push which fell agonisingly short.

A 3-3 draw at Dagenham & Redbridge in last weekend’s final match meant the Shots missed out on the top seven by two points, although three defeats in their last six fixtures proved decisive.

It’s a disappointing end to a fine personal campaign for Mnoga, who in January also started all three of Tanzania’s matches at the African Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.

Since being handed his Pompey debut at the age of 16 years, five months and 24 days in October 2018 against Crawley in the EFL Trophy, he has totalled 18 appearances and one goal.

However, his last league outing for the Blues was in March 2021, when he was substituted at half-time after starting a 2-1 loss at Doncaster under Kenny Jackett.

Despite accompanying Mousinho’s men on their pre-season tour to Malaga, Spain, last summer, he has still to feature in a competitive game under the head coach.

Although Mnoga was involved in four friendlies, before making the loan switch to Aldershot at the start of August.

Also out of contract at the season’s end are Marlon Pack, Sean Raggett, Joe Morrell, Joe Rafferty, Connor Ogilvie, Zak Swanson, Lee Evans, Liam Vincent, Harry Jewitt-White, Josh Martin, Matt Macey, Ryan Schofield and Josh Dockerill.