Portsmouth have £13m limit as transfer pressure rises at Fratton Park
Portsmouth must be far more careful with their transfer balance sheets in the Championship, as pointed out by the Pompey Supporters’ Trust (PST).
Following a long dissection of the club’s accounts released at the end of 2024 (30 December), PST have pointed out the fact Championship clubs must report a loss of no more than £39million over a three-year financial period, essentially £13m per year as a maximum net spend.
Pompey already reported a £5.6million loss over the 2023-24 financial year, with promotion to the second tier witnessing a number of heavily increased immediate costs.
Not that the Blues are likely to be splashing heavy figures on players regardless, but the January transfer window has seen increasing pressure from supporters on the board to spend – and many players of significant class command a transfer fee single-handedly of at least that amount.
That’s not to say high-quality players aren’t available. Pompey’s predicament is that of their bulked-out squad, there are seldom too many first-teamers who could be sold for multi-million-pound fees to help balance the books.
Portsmouth in the transfer window
So far in the winter window, Portsmouth have actually made a borderline profit on player comings and goings.
Rob Atkinson and Isaac Hayden have been signed on loan deals for potentially a nominal fee apiece, while Elias Sorensen is a player on whom the Blues essentially got a refund, as he departs for Valerenga in a £300,000 deal just six months after his arrival.
It’s small fry, though, really. Pompey need significant investment while also ensuring not to tilt the red barrier too far. The ownership have ploughed money into the club’s infrastructure, too.
The difference in the Championship to further down the EFL where Pompey have become used to competing – namely in League One over a seven-year period – has been pointed out by the PST in their statement following the accounts.
In League One and League Two, clubs can essentially spend an unlimited amount on player arrivals as long as the owners refill the gaps with equity. It is only the Championship which carries the cap, and is why Birmingham City – a prime example – have been able to spend an unprecedented amount on their squad in the third tier since their relegation.
Pompey must be willing to spend, but also be smart – and it’s an unenviable task for those behind the scenes across the next two weeks or so.
In other Portsmouth news, John Mousinho rules out an exit for Ryley Towler on loan in this window.
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