With three new signings announced, plus an agreement being reached on Marlon Pack’s contract extenson, club secretary Alistair Knell will have been relieved to get through all the paperwork before the next batch of arrivals heads his way!
The capture of Oxford United’s play-off final hero Josh Murphy, in particular, has gone down well with the Fratton faithful, with the fans being told the Blues have sealed a move for one of League One’s best players ahead of their Championship return.
He’ll certainly add to the attacking prowess Pompey currently boost, with that department primed for another welcome addition in the former of Middlesbrough winger Sammy Silvera.
But what exactly will former £11m man Murphy bring to the table? How will he fit into John Mousinho’s system? And what’s going to get supporters off their seats when he’s on the ball?
Well, we’ve enlisted the help of PFSA Level 2 technical scout & performance analyst - plus social media influencer and Pompey fan - @SonStats to find out. Here’s his rundown of the 29-year-old, who sparked the Blues’ transfer window into life.
9. Tactics
When it comes to our tactical set-up, Murphy is best suited to holding the width out on the left where he can take players on 1v1 and cut inside. The relationship with Connor Ogilvie on the left hand side could be the key in getting the best out of him, with decoy overlapping runs from the Pompey left-back, the passing ability of Marlon Pack and our attacking midfielder will also be a strength where Murphy can then make diagonal runs off the right-back's shoulder. | @SonsStats
10. Overall thoughts
I'm very pleased with this signing, Josh Murphy is a player who has all the tools to be a success at Fratton Park and is a natural fit to the system. A three-year deal for a 29-year old with previous injury problems is no doubt a bit of a risk but one the club feel is worth taking. | Portsmouth FC