Rocha John Rocha is coming back?!

A line 'seemed' to be drawn in the sand over Rocha John Rocha's Pompey career a couple of weeks back when Steve Cotterill lost patience with the Portuguese defender after he failed to agree a contract, having come back to the club asking for this - by all accounts.

Yet a couple of weeks on, with 'reports' that Hercules in Spain were going to sign him following this breakdown, The Mail is now saying that offers from Portugal and Germany have been rejected as Cotterill has convinced him to commit his future to Pompey!

Of course there is nothing official yet, so until this becomes the case this is not true, although 'word on the street' is 'fairly strong' that this is the real deal...

The 31-year-old returning would be a major boost and 'if' he can re-forge his partnership with Aaron Mokoena in the heart of the defence then that would give us a stable defensive platform to build on.

My concerns, assuming this comes off, are that Rocha John Rocha will be utilised as a right back meaning Ibrahima Sonko, who has been an 'Utaka' since signing - an Utaka, you may remember I explained my usage of this recently, is the alternative to calling someone a donkey - will retain his place alongside Mokena in central defence?

First things first though, lets have his return 'officially' confirmed!

Although this return would backup Dave Lampitt thoughts in The New yesterday that reinforcements would still come, despite the closure of the transfer window - and he was not necessarily talking about loanees, his suggestion was hinting at permanent returns, as free agents can still be signed at any time, so long as the football league approve these of course...

One deal, going out, that still 'seemingly' needs this approval is Tommy Smith?

He was 'thought' to have left for QPR just before the deadline, although concerns that this did not go through on time, along with some other late QPR dealings, are growing.

'Should' this prove the case then a loan move would take place next week instead when the loan window opens and the deal made permanent, on the same arrangement - £1.5m - in January...

PLAY UP POMPEY!

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