How Pompey are shaping transfer plan in fight to reach Championship

John Mousinho has detailed a fluid recruitment plan for Pompey this summer.

But the Blues boss stressed transfers are the last thing currently on his mind, as he chases promotion to the Championship.

Mousinho explained it will be necessary for sporting director Rich Hughes to implement two distinct options when it comes to transfer business this summer.

That needs to be the case with Pompey pursuing a place in the second tier, at the seventh time of asking.

The club’s owners pushed the budget in January, as they looked to bolster a creaking squad for a critical period in the race for promotion.

The reality is, however, that threshold would need to be significantly increased once again to even get close to the smaller squad kitties in the second tier.

Meanwhile, at the top end of the division, squad budgets are estimated to be at least 10 times that at the bottom end - underlining the challenges Pompey would face.

With the structure now in place with the Blues’ football operation, Mousinho is glad he just has to focus on matters on the pitch with 11 games to go.

But for Hughes there clearly needs to be best and worst-case scenarios for Pompey moving forward.

Mousinho said: ‘Squad planning for us, at the minute, isn’t black and white.

‘We’d hopefully like to be in a different league next year, so we’re keeping options open for both.

‘There’s definitely work we can do, but it’s not quite as clear as it was towards the back end of last season in particular.

‘We’re making sure squad planning is on the backburner for me, in particular, but it’s always at the forefront of Rich’s head and the board’s head.

‘They are always thinking about what is going to be going on in the future. That always prepares you well for the summer.

‘Certainly in my mind, the focus has shifted away from recruitment and squad planning - and is fully on the next 11 games.

‘I think so (there’s two plans). I haven’t completely ignored it and when you’re looking at the basics of what that looks like, it’s as simple as having two plans.

‘That’s the best way to approach it, because you can then have ideas ready for both situations.’