“It’s a cruel sport” – Reaction given as 26-year-old leaves Portsmouth FC.

This article is part of Football League World’s ‘Terrace Talk’ series, which features personal opinions from FLW Fan Pundits on breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings, and more.

Portsmouth has released Kusini Yengi after his contract with the club expired.

The 26-year-old joined Pompey in the summer transfer window of 2023, coming from Western Sydney Wanderers.

In his first season at Fratton Park, he contributed significantly to John Mousinho’s side’s promotion to the Championship.

Injuries hindered his second season with the club, resulting in only 14 league appearances and four starts, ultimately leading to his departure from Portsmouth.

Kusini Yengi’s Release Claim

FLW’s Portsmouth fan pundit Miltos Ioannidis denied being surprised by Yengi’s release.

He believes the player will be remembered fondly for his role in the club’s promotion, but the nature of football necessitates that difficult decisions like these be made after a tough second season.

“I’m not surprised at all, no,” Ioannidis told Football League World.

“And I believe that this was always coming.

“Yengi played an important role in our memorable League One winning season, but he was unable to build on that and have a similar impact for us this time around in the Championship.

“In his defence, I have a lot of sympathy for how his season was hampered by injuries, and I’m sure he’ll feel like we never saw him at his best this season.

“Unfortunately for him, that is how football works sometimes.

“It’s a cruel sport, a cruel business, and I believe the way we should remember Yengi is for all the good times he brought to this football club in games like Peterborough away and Bolton at home; these types of games will live on in Pompey folklore forever.

“And I wish him nothing but the best.”

Portsmouth finished 16th in the Championship table, maintaining their current position.

Ruthless Portsmouth has bigger plans.

Portsmouth have shown no sentimentality towards Yengi, which may appear harsh from the outside.

However, these are the types of decisions that are made when a club wants to improve its squad and position in the Championship.

Pompey had a solid first season back at this level, but it’s clear that they want to break into the top half of the table now.

While Yengi was a valuable addition in League One, he did not perform well enough in the second tier to justify his retention given these ambitions.

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