Portsmouth sign Austrian goalkeeper Schmid
Nicolas Schmid kept nine clean sheets in the Austrian Bundesliga last season
- Published
Portsmouth have signed goalkeeper Nicolas Schmid from Austrian side BW Linz for an undisclosed fee.
The 27-year-old has agreed a two-year contract with a club option for another 12 months.
Schmid made 31 appearances in the Austrian Bundesliga last season, keeping nine clean sheets.
Blues boss John Mousinho said, external: “We’ve added an experienced keeper who’s probably at the peak of his career right now.
“He comes having played at the top level of Austrian football and so we’re delighted to have him in the building.
He added: “Nicolas is an excellent shot-stopper and has a good range of kicking. He adds to what’s already a really strong goalkeeping unit.”
Schmid helped BW Linz finish 10th in the Austrian Bundesliga last term and featured in the opening two games of the current campaign.
Schmid will 'battle' for No 1 spot - Moon
Will Norris currently holds the No 1 spot as Portsmouth's starting keeper and made 47 appearances across all competitions last season.
BBC Radio Solent's Portsmouth commentator Andrew Moon said the club's latest addition will push him for that starting position:
"Earlier in the summer John Mousinho had been discussing bringing in a third-choice goalkeeper but Schmid is very much someone who will battle Norris for the No 1 shirt.
"Norris was a very consistent presence throughout last season and was given the player-of-the-match award in the draw against Luton Town on Saturday, it would feel harsh to drop him at this stage.
"Norris held off Matt Macey in the second half of last season. He will need to keep performing at a high level to keep Schmid out of the Pompey side, and that’s assuming the Austrian isn’t thrown straight in as first choice, a big choice for Mousinho for make."