Pompey Milovanovic’s £3m arrival aims to plug a thin attack

Portsmouth have paid £3 million for Serbian striker Marko Milovanovic, completing the deal on Friday to plug a shortage up front as they prepare for the Championship, hoping the new forward will bolster the Blues' attack in the coming season ahead.

The Blues entered the summer with a thin attacking line, relying on Colby Bishop, Thomas Waddingham and Franco Umeh. Adding Milovanovic is intended to give manager John Mousinho more options up front and reduce the pressure on the existing trio.

The £3 million fee marks the most significant striker investment Portsmouth have made this summer, and the club said it had been patiently pursuing the right player for a while before finalising the deal.

Milovanovic spent the previous season on loan at FC Alverca in Portugal’s top tier, where he enjoyed regular first‑team action in a competitive league. That spell gave him valuable experience before his first foray into English football after stints with Partizan Belgrade and Almeria.

Head coach John Mousinho explained that Milovanovic has not been training fully with the squad. "Unfortunately for Marko he’s not been training fully. He’s been training on his own and keeping himself fit but he’s a long way off being match ready and being match fit," Mousinho said, adding the striker is "probably about three or four weeks away from being available."

Portsmouth’s pre‑season yielded one win from four games, including a 3‑1 loss to Wycombe in which Thomas Waddingham scored the Pompey goal. The mixed results highlighted the need for additional firepower ahead of the campaign.

The club will travel to West Ham United in the first round of the Carabao Cup on Saturday, 8 August, before hosting QPR for their Championship opener a week later. Milovanovic’s rehabilitation will continue during this period.

For Portsmouth, the £3 million investment aims to strengthen a thin attacking line even though the striker will miss the opening weeks. The delay offers Milovanovic a period to adapt to English football before making his debut for the Blues.