Mousinho admits transfer focus has taken backseat as Portsmouth hit Croatia camp
John Mousinho has admitted his focus on transfers at Portsmouth has lessened slightly as pre-season gets well underway at a demanding camp in Croatia.
The Pompey head coach told Jordan Clark live on BBC Radio Solent [9 July] that sporting director Rich Hughes has taken on the majority of the recruitment side of the club at present, with Mousinho himself leading the preparations for the Championship season at their European warm-weather training base.
Mousinho had previously revealed there are “plenty of irons in the fire” [Andrew Moon, 9 July] for new players at Pompey, with five incomings already through the door and with the squad this pre-season.
“My focus has probably switched slightly away from recruitment to pre-season planning and training,” Mousinho said.
“Rich [Hughes] and the recruitment team are working really hard in the background to make sure deals get done, and we know there is still plenty of work to do.
“The new signings so far have fit really well into the group – we have lads here with crucial Championship experience.”
Portsmouth still active in the market
Based on Portsmouth’s early activity along with Mousinho’s recent quotes from Croatia there, it would be little surprise to see anything up to 10 more new faces in at Fratton Park by the end of next month.
As discussed, Pompey’s opening fixtures are arguably the toughest of all 24 clubs in the Championship, but Mousinho also added to BBC Solent that the team are relishing the challenge, and that “you have to play everyone twice” regardless – though the early tricky tests may accelerate the need to strengthen the squad sooner in the window rather than later.
The Blues are yet to spend any of their transfer kitty on the new arrivals, with everyone joining the club so far on a free.
This may enable Hughes and the recruitment staff to lodge meaningful bids for strong talent to bring in, with the early free business so far being very astute from the club with Josh Murphy, Jordan Williams, Sam Silvera, Jordan Archer and Reuben Swann having signed.
Whilst Mousinho averts his gaze back towards the grass, the club look to be moving in an excitingly positive direction.
In other Portsmouth news, an update on a possible homecoming for Matt Ritchie.
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