Bristol City have set their sights on John Mousinho hours after facing rejection from Lincoln City‘s Michael Skubala.

The Robins have been searching for a new permanent boss after the sacking of Gerhard Struber mid-season, which prompted the Ashton Gate club to call upon veteran manager Roy Hodgson to guide the club through the remainder of the campaign.

Skubala Snub Points Robins Elsewhere

The situation for the Cider Army has been rapidly shifting over the past 24 hours, with Lincoln City’s Michael Skubala eyed for a move after interest in previous frontrunners like Steven Gerrard cooled.

The 43-year-old, who guided the Imps to an unexpected League One title, has since turned down any chance of moving away from Sincil Bank in order to continue the project he began back in 2023 and lead his side into the Championship.

Now, according to the Portsmouth News, City have turned their interest towards Portsmouth boss John Mousinho, and are prepared to intensify their efforts in order to secure the Pompey boss.

While any formal interest is yet to materialise to bring Mousinho to Ashton Gate, the Fratton Park club have postponed their regular press briefing amid the speculation around the 40-year-old’s future.

Mousinho Promoted To Front Runner

Michael Skubala has been courted by many EFL sides since his revolution at Lincoln City began, and now, after capping off his crowning achievement of delivering the League One title, it was only a matter of time before another club came calling.

The former Leeds United coach has always batted away interest from elsewhere, and now with his side in the uncharted waters of the Championship, it would be a risky and uncharacteristic move for him to jump ship now.

That, in turn, means that John Mousinho is now at the head of the pack, with his steady hands keeping Portsmouth in the second tier and yet to face a major setback in his recent career, unlike his rivals for the Bristol City job in Steven Gerrard or Russell Martin.

The 40-year-old hasn’t given a definitive answer when pressed about his links to Ashton Gate, and despite his steady improvement across his tenure at Pompey, he does not seem as attached as Skubala to his current side.

Ultimately though, it is up to both clubs to strike an agreement for Mousinho, meaning that this story will continue to grind over the coming days.