Rich Hughes evaluates transfer model at Portsmouth as young assets at club discussed
Rich Hughes has spoken out on the recruitment model at Portsmouth and highlights the importance of developing “assets” at the club.
The Pompey sporting director oversaw a busy summer window following the club’s long-awaited return to the Championship, with several young starlets among the 15 total players brought in.
Hughes pointed out other clubs in the division such as leaders Sunderland, who were the Blues’ most recent opponents and who operated with the league’s youngest squad last season.
Speaking to The News [9 September], he said: “There have been a lot of exciting transfers, a lot of upside and a lot of potential.
“One of the biggest advantages we have – and probably every club will say this – is we have some top, top coaches behind the scenes which work with these players. They will get the support and time they need to be successful, which is what makes this model slightly more achievable.
“More and more clubs are doing this, Sunderland are the same. They are a little further ahead in their journey in terms of selling players. The next step for us is the next stage of the development, we have a lot of good young assets in the group now and it’s up to them to perform and flourish.”
Portsmouth looking to develop young players as assets
The art of the self-sustaining transfer model in English football has rocketed in popularity, in the modern day masterminded by the likes of Brighton and Brentford in the Premier League.
Sunderland have set down a marker in the Championship through their regular purchasing of unproven young players, with the aim of turning them over for an eventual large profit – Jack Clarke’s lucrative move to Ipswich Town a case in point.
Stoke City and Hull City are also among those seeking to operate similarly – though it does require some short-term investment to take such gambles on players, as well as striking an important balance between youth and experience.
That is somewhere that Sunderland faltered last season – Pompey are consequently learning from others’ mistakes in the way they are bringing players in, with Matt Ritchie and Josh Murphy among those to complement the promising starlets of Abdoulaye Kamara, Harvey Blair and Ibane Bowat.
The Blues are in an important transition phase, and one which takes time – making stability the aim of the game in 2024-25.
In other Portsmouth news, Dan Bardell on a player Pompey fans will not be too concerned to see leave the club.
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