Before leaving in the summer, the midfielder/defender made 29 games for the Blues.
Danny Cowley has informed Pompey that the sale of Jay Mingi will bring them a sizable chunk of money this summer.
The Colchester manager believes League One and Championship teams are circling and is prepared to lose the 23-year-old over the off-season.
Last summer, Mingi turned down a three-year contract at Fratton Park to become a free agent. In September, he was able to secure a two-year deal with United.
The agreement featured a sell-on clause in addition to training compensation worth about £30,000 for the Blues.
Furthermore, Cowley acknowledges he expects a summer sale for Mingi, who excelled in his first Colchester season despite frequently playing center-half, a position he was not comfortable with.
“Jay has played a lot at right center-half, he has been brilliant, he has done fantastic,” the former head coach of Pompey said to The News.
I actually had a conversation with Dmitri Halajko and Ross Embleton, Colchester’s recruitment agents, last summer, and I naturally provided Jay with an excellent reference. When we arrived in Colchester, we were overjoyed to inherit him.
However, I don’t think we’ll hold onto him—I believe he’s moved on. Considering how well Pompey has performed for us and how much too athletic he is for League Two, I have a hunch that some money will be returning to the team.
Although I have the impression that several Championship and League One teams would be eager to sign him, we would really like to keep him.
Jay is a phenomenal athlete with amazing technical qualities that enable him to accelerate the game. As a result, he has the athleticism to play wherever on the pitch. He has quick reflexes.
People often ask me what the distinguishing factor is, and because I’ve had the good fortune to manage in eight of the top nine divisions, I think it’s the capacity for quick skill execution.
You can compete in the Championship and other competitions if you can accomplish that. There’s definitely a cap on the level you can play if you’re unable to.
On the last day of the season, Mingi made 28 appearances to help Colchester escape relegation from League Two.
But he missed two and a half months due to a hamstring injury before resuming his play following Cowley’s appointment as head coach in January.
The former Charlton player joined Pompey on a free transfer in September 2021 and has since made 29 appearances with one goal.
Cowley continued, saying, “He had a terrific spell with us last season at Pompey.”
He played exceptionally well against Forest Green in October 2022, and he had a great run in the team during a time when we had a lot of injuries. Sadly, he discovered himself outside the side when we departed.
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