Portsmouth boss Cowley: Permanent deal for Millwall defender Mahlon Romeo is tough to do

Danny Cowley has admitted that it would be hard for Portsmouth to sign Mahlon Romeo on a permanent deal – and labelled the 26-year-old Millwall defender as “one of the best right-backs in the Championship”.

The defender joined Pompey on transfer deadline day on loan for the remainder of the season and has made 15 appearances for the Fratton Park outfit.

Cowley told the Portsmouth News: “It would be tough to sign Mahlon Romeo permanently, but we’d love to have him. It’s been a good loan for both of us.

“We didn’t anticipate Mahlon would become available to us. It wasn’t one we could predict, he became available right at the end of the window. It was too good an opportunity to turn down.

”I thought he was going to Ipswich and there was even Sunderland, but he wanted to stay down south. He became available and it was a great deal for us. He’s been a machine, really good. He was short of games when he first arrived, but he soon got fitter, more athletic and powerful.

“We’re seeing, for me, one of the best right-backs in the Championship. He defends and attacks. Some of the modern day full-backs just want to attack, but Mahlon defends and stops crosses.

“Statistically, he’s got an incredible record of stopping crosses down his side of the pitch. Also offensively he gives us real attacking threat.”

PICTURE: KEITH GILLARD