Injury disaster strikes as Championship boss confirms Sunderland loanee's season is over after fresh set-back

John Mousinho has confirmed that Sunderland loanee Adil Aouchiche will not feature for Portsmouth again this season.

The Frenchman, who joined the Fratton Park club on loan from the Black Cats in January, was absent from the 20-man squad for Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.

With Pompey having already secured their Championship status, Mousinho made five changes to the side that defeated Watford on Easter Monday. Among them were surprise starts for Harvey Blair and a debut for goalkeeper Ben Killip, while Andre Dozzell filled the attacking midfield role usually occupied by Aouchiche.

The 22-year-old was withdrawn late in the second half of Pompey’s thrilling 5-3 victory earlier this month after suffering a wrist fracture—an injury Mousinho had described as coming during Aouchiche’s best performance since arriving on loan from Sunderland in January.

Although Aouchiche managed to start in the 1-0 win over Watford, he was substituted at half-time due to ongoing discomfort from the injury. Now, Mousinho has confirmed that the Frenchman will sit out Pompey’s final fixture of the campaign against Hull City.

Speaking to The News following the draw against the Owls, Mousinho explained: "No, he has a fractured bone in his hand, we won’t see him again, there’s no point risking him. He hasn’t gone back; he’s been receiving treatment here. We’ll see what happens next week."

What does the future for Adil Aouchiche hold?

The attacking midfielder struggled for regular minutes on Wearside this season, hence the loan to Portsmouth.

After the deal had gone through, Sunderland’s sporting director, Kristjaan Speakman, said his future at the club would be reviewed in the summer. There is no purchase clause included in the deal, which runs until the end of the season.

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“Adil has worked hard and played his part when called upon, and been a good team-mate, but competition within our squad is extremely high and his opportunities have been limited as a result,” Speakman said.

“Naturally, he would like to play more regularly, and we believe this opportunity will enable him to do that in a competitive environment that will support his development. We wish him well and look forward to reviewing his progress at the end of the campaign.”

Before joining Pompey in January, Aouchiche had made 10 appearances for the Black Cats, starting in five of those matches. The midfielder, who has featured 38 times across two seasons in the North East, still has three years remaining on his current contract at the Stadium of Light.

How has Adil Aouchiche done at Portsmouth this season?

The 22-year-old made 12 appearances for Pompey, stepping into the role vacated by Callum Lang after he suffered a hamstring injury against Oxford United on February 15. During his time at Fratton Park, the Frenchman operated both centrally and on the right flank, earning a place in the starting lineup on nine occasions.

Aouchiche's sole goal for the Blues came in spectacular style, scoring a late consolation during the defeat to Plymouth on March 12. He also recorded one assist, teeing up Regan Poole for the fifth goal in the thrilling 5-3 win over Norwich City. The former Paris Saint-Germain prospect will now return to Sunderland with valuable game time under his belt, having struggled to secure regular minutes under Régis Le Bris earlier in the season.

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