Mousinho shares if any Portsmouth transfers likely before Oxford United game
Portsmouth have made five new signings in preparation for the new season in the Championship.
John Mousinho has recruited well this summer despite Portsmouth’s limited budget, bringing in the likes of Adrian Segecic and John Swift on free transfers.
Midfielders Mark Kosznovszky and Luke Le Roux have both been signed for undisclosed fees, while Florian Bianchini has arrived on a season-long loan.
However, Portsmouth still look short of strikers, especially now Colby Bishop has been ruled out for three weeks with a groin injury.
Mousinho shares Portsmouth transfer update
Mousinho played his strongest XI in the friendly against PEC Zwolle on Saturday, which was the team’s final run-out before the Championship season kicks off.
All five new signings got a run-out, although Pompey’s lack of depth up front was exposed.
Thomas Waddingham was often outmuscled by a strong opposition defence, although he did pop up with the winner in the dying moments of the match.
Mousinho has admitted that he’d like to bring in more new faces before the transfer window closes.
However, in an interview with The News (4 August), he admitted that Portsmouth would be unlikely to sign anyone before their opening league game against Oxford.
He said: “By the end of the transfer window in a month’s time there will definitely be additions, but I am not sure that will be before next weekend.”
Portsmouth are short of wingers and strikers
The timing of Bishop’s injury is unfortunate, given that Portsmouth have been able to recruit any strikers so far this summer.
Although Waddingham has shown potential, he has only played a handful of games in England, and is hardly the big strong striker you’d want to close out a tight game.
Portsmouth would be disadvantaged if he was the only striker to choose from in the opening weeks of the season.
Mousinho’s squad still looks short of wingers too. Josh Murphy and Callum Lang look destined to start on the left and right wing respectively. Bianchini looks set to be the first reserve for either of them, but there are no natural wingers in Mousinho’s squad beyond that.
| Player | Best position | Can also play |
| Murphy | Left wing | — |
| Lang | Attacking midfielder | Right wing |
| Bianchini | Right wing | Left wing |
| Segecic | Attacking midfielder | Right wing |
| Devlin | Defensive midfielder | Right back, Right wing |
Paddy Lane would have been a candidate, but he was sold to Reading just before the PEC Zwolle friendly.
If no new signings are made this week, Portsmouth fans will have to cross their fingers and pray no-one gets injured against Oxford.
Sign up for the Pompey News WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking Portsmouth news sent straight to your phone.