Needs must: The Portsmouth transfer policy U-turn now driving Championship survival bid
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With their Championship future at stake and the glaring necessity to strengthen a playing squad painfully short of the required depth, the model has changed. Certainly in the short-term.
Rich Hughes oversaw a total of four loanees arriving at Fratton Park during the entire League One title-winning campaign.
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Hide AdOnce Kaide Gordon is confirmed from Liverpool, they will have signed the exact same amount during this January transfer window alone - taking the tally currently on their books to six.
The Pompey hierarchy should receive credit for attempting to address the precarious relegation position, likewise their willingness to deviate from the recruitment blueprint and demonstrate a little flexibility.
Having reduced the financial outlay on loan players by 58.9 per cent to £408,000 in 2023-24, the Blues are reversing the process to bolster the survival fight.
After all, remaining in the Championship is overwhelmingly the primary objective.
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Hide AdOf course, the incoming addition of Gordon throws up an intriguing selection situation in terms of dividing six loanees into five match-day squad spots.
Providing all are fit, Pompey will need to leave one of their loanees out of the 20-man squad for each of their remaining 16 games.
Inevitably that will create a headache for John Mousinho - and an unsatisfactory situation for parent clubs West Ham, Bristol City, Newcastle, Brighton, Sunderland and, potentially, Liverpool.
Certainly Rob Atkinson and Freddie Potts will remain regular first-team starters during the rest of the season, form and fitness permitting, of course.
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Hide AdIsaac Hayden found himself dropped to the bench in Saturday’s goalless draw with Burnley, but, if not selected, he will undoubtedly be first choice to replace either Potts or Andre Dozzell in central midfield.
Adil Aouchiche, who will become available for this weekend’s trip to Sheffield United, remains an unknown quality in the eyes of Pompey fans having not featured yet, but there is much excitement in the Blues hierarchy over his signing.
The Frenchman is expected to add more creativity in a team which is far too reliant - and dangerously so - on Josh Murphy, Callum Lang and Matt Ritchie in those three positions behind the centre-forward.
Then there’s Mark O’Mahony, the 20-year-old Irishman who has scored twice in nine appearances, and last week returned to full training having been injured since November.
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He is also currently the only fit genuine alternative to Colby Bishop in the centre-forward role. Thomas Waddingham, of course, is also a consideration, yet is far, far away from starting in the Championship at present.
Gordon, once completed, will be the sixth loan, offering variation from the wings. A much-needed attacking injection considering Harvey Blair is not trusted, Paddy Lane’s season-ending injury and Sammy Silvera’s Middlesbrough return.
History shows that in 2022-23, a total of £994,000 was spent on seven loan recruits including Josh Griffiths, Joe Pigott, Dane Scarlett, Owen Dale, Josh Koroma, Matt Macey and Di’Shon Bernard.
Of those, just Macey (Luton) and Bernard (Manchester United) arrived during the Rich Hughes regime, with both landing in January 2023
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Hide AdLast season, that outlay had been reduced to £408,000 spent on four; Abu Kamara (Norwich), Alex Robertson (Manchester City), Tino Anjorin (Chelsea) and Myles Peart-Harris (Brentford).
The next time Pompey dip into the loan market it will be to secure Gordon, creating the situation of six loanees scrapping it out for five match-day loan slots.
Needs must - staying in the Championship is the sole focus.
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