Portsmouth have suffered a setback in their quest to sign former Celtic winger Gary Mackay-Steven, as reported by The Portsmouth News.

The 28-year-old, who made 20 appearances for Aberdeen in the SPFL last season, had been widely tipped to join Pompey on a free transfer this summer. That's now fallen through, though, as he's been unveiled by MLS side New York City.

Speaking to their official website, Mackay-Steven said; "I’m delighted to finally sign on the dotted line.

"I can’t wait to hit the ground running and make my debut in the blue shirt. I can’t wait to show what I can do to the fans in Yankee Stadium.

"The lure of playing in America and in MLS is really attractive to me. It’s always been a draw for me, it’s hard to say no. I can’t wait to get started."

It the latest in a long line of blows suffered by Kenny Jackett as he looks to bolster the squad that made the play-off semi-final last season. He's already been rocked by the departure of Matt Clarke, as well as Jamal Lowe putting in a transfer request.

They've also pulled out of the hunt to sign Freddie Ladapo, citing wage demands as the major issue.

Pompey finished last season in fourth place in League One, setting up a two-legged play-off semi-final against Sunderland. Two dour encounters saw them lose 1-0 on aggregate, a disappointing end to a season in which they led the table before Christmas.

The Verdict

This is a big blow for Pompey. It looked as though the winger, who has five international caps for Scotland, was going to try his luck in League One. The NYC move hasn't come out of the blue, they wanted him in January, but it's still bad news for Pompey.

Coupled with Jamal Lowe's potential exit it leaves them desperately needing fresh reinforcements in the wide area. They've been linked with a move for Lincoln City's Bruno Andrade, but as yet nothing has materialised.

Fans would have hoped to see players coming in after last season's failed promotion bid, not players leaving and snubbing the club.

It could be a challenging summer.