Fratton Park, the long-term home of Portsmouth
Fratton Park, the long-term home of Portsmouth
Transfers

Rich Hughes predicts number of signings needed by Portsmouth this summer

Dan Godfrey
Dan Godfrey

Dan is a sports writer and broadcaster, who wrote for Breaking Media Limited's club sites including Pompey News between May 2024 and May 2025. Graduating from the University of Huddersfield in 2018 with First Class Honours in Sports Journalism, Dan has worked with several EFL clubs, as well as with BBC Radio, talkSPORT and TNT Sports. He previously resided in Sydney, Australia, where he continued his career as a freelancer in various sports. Dan was born and raised in Portsmouth, comes from a Pompey-supporting family, and was in attendance at both of the club's FA Cup finals in 2008 and 2010.

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Portsmouth sporting director Rich Hughes has projected how many more signings the club need to make in the summer transfer window.

Speaking to The News [12 July], Hughes says Pompey are seeking "five or six" additional new faces to join up with John Mousinho's squad.

Pompey have so far brought in five new players - all on free transfers or loans - and the quintet are currently all with the squad at a demanding warm-weather camp in Croatia this pre-season.

The sporting director told the city's local newspaper: "We probably want around 5-6 new players across various positions.

"We know exactly what that looks like and have a hierarchy in terms of who we want to bring in and the knock-on effects on other things, so it will probably be around that number."

Portsmouth identify positions required

Hughes has gone on to identify which positions Portsmouth need to reassess and strengthen - and where they are already in good supply.

He and new head of recruitment Brad Wall are now leading the transfer process with Mousinho returning primarily to the coaching side of this summer's preparations.

Portsmouth are said to be seeking "a third-choice 'keeper, a centre-half, a right-back, improving the centre of midfield, and a number 10."

Portsmouth defender Connor Ogilvie
Portsmouth are in good supply of left-back options including Connor Ogilvie, says Hughes

Asked if he felt the team needed an upgrade at left-back, Hughes denied this, claiming there are strong options beyond Connor Ogilvie including Jack Sparkes, and versatile centre-halves Conor Shaughnessy and Tom McIntyre.

Josh Murphy, Jordan Archer, Jordan Williams, Sam Silvera and Reuben Swann have so far signed terms with Pompey ahead of the Championship return.

In other Portsmouth news, a Pompey reference was made after Ollie Watkins' England heroics at Euro 2024.

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Portsmouth
Richard Hughes
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