After lifting the League One crown and securing their place back in the Championship at the end of last season, the Blues immediately got down to work on what the make-up of their first-team options would look like for life back in the second tier.
And, as we all know, Pompey were ruthless in their decision-making as they parted company will some established Fratton favourites and cut short stays of players who simply weren’t good enough to cut it at a higher level.
In all, 14 players were shown the exit, with 15 brought in the other way to ensure the Blues would be a competitive force in the Championship. That saw sporting director Rich Hughes and his team scour Europe and further afield for quality recruits. It saw the Blues splash the cash on seven new arrivals. It also saw Pompey act quickly in picking up in-demand free agents, with Josh Murphy one of the most sought-after freebies following his heroics for Oxford in the League One play-off final.
That pursuit of additional quality took Pompey right down to the wire, with Fulham centre-back Ibane Bowat signed for a reported £500,000 deal on deadline day. And no doubt head coach John Mousinho will love the opportunity to finally get to work with the majority of his new additions on the training pitch as domestic duties take a break for the start of this season’s international commitments.
There’s a hope we’ll finally see what the Blues truly have up their sleeves for when West Brom visit Fratton Park on Sunday, September 15.
Until then, he’s every bit of senior business Pompey conducted over the summer in order to give them a fighting chance in the Championship.
5. Out - Matt Macey
The keeper was allowed to depart Pompey in the aftermath of their League One title win. Macey subsequently joined Colchester on a free transfer, where he has already established himself as first-choice. | Getty Images
6. In - Matt Ritchie
The 34-year-old returned to Fratton Park this summer - more than 13 years after his exit in 2011. Picked up on a free transfer following his Newcastle release, Ritchie signed a two-year deal with the Blues. Made his second full debut for Pompey in Saturday's defeat to Sunderland. Photo: Jason Brown/ProSportsImages
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7. Out - Alex Robertson
The on-loan midfielder officially returned the parent club Manchester City at the end of last season. Pompey wanted a Fratton Park reunion and had a bid for the Aussie international accepted - yet he opted for a move to Championship rivals Cardiff. | Graham Hunt/ProSportsImages
8. In - Jacob Farrell
This is one of the rare pictures we have of the defender Pompey snapped up from Central Coast Mariners back in July for an undisclosed fee. He's been out with a knee injury since making the move from Australia and is yet to feature in a competitive game for the Blues. There's hope he'll be available for selection after the international break. | Pic: Portsmouth FC