Mullarkey’s superb career is heading in
Pompey are looking at one of the most dynamic and aerially powerful players in the non-league game as they employ their new transfer policy of signing promising talent on the rise.
And the stats show the Blues could be landing one of the most progressive talents with the ball outside of the top four divisions in Altrincham’s Toby Mullarkey.
The News have reported Danny Cowley is tracking the centre-back, as he looks for young players on the rise this summer.
The 25-year-old fits the bill for what the Pompey boss is aiming to recruit, with the right-footed player operating in the middle of the back line - a clear area of focus.
Using performance data from analytics platform Wyscout, it’s clear that the former Crewe trainee particularly shines when it comes to heading.
But what will excite Pompey fans is the ability of Mullarkey to progress the ball - both with forward passes and runs out of defence.
His ball progression comes in at 4.77m per minute - ninth overall in the division and fifth best for a right-sided central defender.
Breaking his ball progression down further, he finishes 11th (94.39m) for runs and and 12th (335.18m) for passes.
Mullarkey’s numbers underline that when it comes to aerial dominance and putting his body on the line his numbers stand up to inspection.
He returned an aerial success rate of 66.95 per cent this season across his 3,702 minutes of competitive action.
That ranks him 20th of all players in the National League, with his central defensive team-mate Kyle Fer
guson leading the way with an 82.69 per cent success rate.
Mullarkey comes in eighth of all the National League’s right-sided central defender with that return.
Boling deeper down into the data, the summer target has the league’s sixth best total when it comes to the number of aerial battles won in his own box (63) - the third best total for a rightsided central defender
Looking at his success rate across the campaign in his own box, Mullarkey wins 65 per cent over those battles - 17th overall in the National League.
Likewise, the number of blocks he’s produced this term fairs pretty favourably with his total of 27 the 13th best in the fifth tier - ninth overall for a right-sided central defender.
*Pompey have been linked with a summer move for Swansea forward Kyle Joseph.
The 20-year-old moved to the Swans for £500,000 from Wigan last summer after coming through the ranks at the DW Stadium, netting five times in 18 outings during his maiden season in 2020-21.
He spent the first half of this term on loan at Cheltenham, scoring four times in 19 League One appearances.
After being recalled by boss Russell Martin, he made 10 substitute outings over the second half of Swansea’s Championship campaign.
Currently, Pompey don’t have any contracted forwards among their ranks. They were previously linked with a summer move for Salford forward Brandon Thomas-Asante.