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Portsmouth summer triallist makes intriguing pre-season decision in search for new club after Fratton exit Pompey opted against handing triallist Arvin Appiah a Fratton Park contract this summer. Pompey kick-start their Championship campaign this Saturday as they host QPR at Fratton Park. The Blues will, though, begin the new season with a number of key absentees, with injuries hampering John Mousinho’s plans. Left-backs Connor Ogilvie and Jacob Farrell are both sidelined for the curtain raiser, which will likely see Zak Swanson answer the head coach’s SOS on the left side of defence. However, one player who won’t be playing any part for the Blues this season - despite being a regular in pre-season - is full-back Arvin Appiah. The 25-year-old, who made the move to Spanish side UD Almeria from Nottingham Forest for £8m seven years ago, departed the Segunda Division outfit at the end of last term and subsequently linked up with Mousinho’s side earlier this summer. The defender featured in four of the Blues’ seven Championship warm-up fixtures, with his last showing coming against Kuwait SC in a behind-closed-doors friendly last Wednesday. Pompey summer triallist’s surprise appearance after Fratton exit Pompey, though, opted against handing Appiah a Fratton Park contract and departed ahead of last weekend’s Carabao Cup defeat to West Ham. The ex-Forest man has since turned to the PFA to help in his quest to find a new club, signing up for their summer training camp for out-of-contract members. He becomes the latest former Pompey man to take part in the 10-week programme during the off-season, which has already been utilised by the likes of Tom McIntyre, Ben Close, Andre Green, Lee Evans, Tyler Walker, John Marquis, James Bolton, Anthony Scully, Omar Bogle and Josh Oluwayemi. The 10-week programme is based at Champney’s Springs in Leicestershire, which is now in its third year after being set up in 2024, and offers access to spa and gym facilities, strength and conditioning sessions, training and matches for players. Appiah will be hoping to keep his fitness up should clubs come calling following his Fratton Park exit earlier this month. John Mousinho on Arvin Appiah’s Pompey trial With Ogilvie and Farrell missing all of the Blues’ pre-season through injury, Pompey ran the rule over Appiah with the potential of earning a permanent contract. The 25-year-old became a free agent following the conclusion of his deal with UD Almeria at the end of the season but did feature for the Blues against Bristol Rovers, Wycombe Wanderers, Darmstadt and Kuwait. Mousinho insisted he had been impressed by the full-back’s brief stint on the south coast, but admitted the club didn’t have the squad space to take him on, with 35 first-team members currently in his ranks. Explaining his decision, the head coach told The News last week: ‘I need to catch up with the triallist. He’s been really good since he came in, but we probably don’t have the squad space at the moment to take him on. ‘He’s hopefully in a really good position with what we’ve given him, in terms of fitness and in terms of exposure. He’s had both. ‘We wanted to have a good look at him and see if he could affect what we’re doing here. ‘It’s a big ask with everything we’ve got here and the demands of the Championship - but he’s been a credit to himself.’