Why Defensive midfielder linked with Watford and Derby could now regret turning down Portsmouth move

Mate Tuboly’s Portsmouth Decision Could Come Back to Haunt Him

Mate Tuboly’s decision to turn down a move to Portsmouth during the summer has so far failed to work out as he may have hoped.

The Hungary Under-21 midfielder chose to wait for other transfer opportunities after Portsmouth made a serious approach for him. However, those expected alternatives never materialised, and Tuboly has since found himself completely out of favour at DAC.

The 22-year-old has not been included in any of new manager Robert Klauß’s 12 match-day squads this season, leaving him without a competitive appearance so far.

His current situation is a major change from last season, when Tuboly was regarded as one of DAC’s important players. He made 36 appearances across all competitions, scoring three goals and providing two assists.

His performances naturally attracted interest during the summer. Watford, Swansea and Bundesliga club Schalke were among the teams reportedly monitoring his situation, with a transfer away from the Slovak club appearing increasingly likely.

Despite that interest, Portsmouth were reportedly the only club to make a concrete offer for Tuboly. The Championship side’s proposal was considered serious, but it was eventually withdrawn after the midfielder’s representatives asked DAC to wait for other possibilities.

While Tuboly’s future remained uncertain, Klauß began preparing DAC for the new campaign. The club also had to manage restrictions on the number of non-Slovak players they could register for their Conference League qualifying matches.

As a result, Tuboly was left out of the squad for the European fixtures against Velež Mostar. DAC progressed from that tie before eventually being eliminated by Twente.

Domestically, things have gone particularly well for DAC, who currently lead the Slovak Super Liga with 20 points from their opening eight matches.

Tuboly has therefore been forced to watch from the sidelines while midfield rivals Samsindin Ouro and Julien Bationo have established themselves in Klauß’s starting plans.

There could be a temporary change during the international break, however, with Tuboly receiving a call-up to the latest Hungary Under-21 squad.

Looking back, accepting Portsmouth’s offer could have given Tuboly a completely different situation this season.

Klauß recently explained that Tuboly’s representatives had indicated earlier in the year that transfer interest was expected after his strong campaign. He confirmed that a serious offer eventually arrived from Portsmouth in July, but the player’s representatives preferred to wait for other opportunities.

According to Klauß, Portsmouth subsequently withdrew their proposal. With pre-season already underway and competition for midfield places becoming stronger, Tuboly then found himself outside the manager’s plans.

The foreign-player restrictions in the Conference League also contributed to the decision, with DAC ultimately choosing to leave Tuboly out of their European squad.

Interestingly, Mohamed has made only three appearances for Portsmouth this season, totalling 22 minutes of action. Even so, that remains more competitive football than Tuboly has managed so far this campaign.