Portsmouth boss confirms playing budget plan after securing Championship survival

But the Blues boss doesn’t expect his team’s position in the second-tier spending hierarchy to significantly alter, as some financial heavy-hitters arrive in the division next term.

Pompey are celebrating securing their place in the division with two games to spare, after their return to the level after a 12-year absence.

It’s a superb achievement, one made even more impressive given it’s known the playing budget afforded Mousinho is among the lowest in the division.

There’s an excitement being projected by the Pompey boss, about the opportunities for himself and the club moving forward.

Mousinho feels there’s much to look forward to moving forward, as he confirmed the playing budget increase.

He said: ‘We can improve that (the budget). The budget will increase and there’s willingness to do that, but we’ve never been under any illusions over where we’re going to be in the structure.

‘It’s no secret, right. Birmingham will come up and are probably going to outspend everybody, Wrexham have plenty of money but I don’t know who else is going to come up from League One.

‘There’s also a couple of clubs we’ve been close to (in terms of budget) that could end up going down, I don’t know.

‘But one thing we know is what we have done this year is be competitive at the level.

‘I just think it’s a really exciting thing to be able to maximise whatever we do with whatever resources were given.’

Pompey boss Mousinho: ‘We’ll have a good crack at it next year’

Pompey’s playing budget has steadily increased through Mousinho’s time at PO4, after arriving in January 2023 - with that the case once again in January.

Hayden Matthews January capture for £1.27m was the most the club have paid for a player in 14 years, since Pompey paid Bari £1.5m for Erik Huseklepp in 2011. That’s an encouraging sign of progress, though the reality is it pales alongside the spending power of many Championship rivals.

Mousinho sees reason for optimism moving forward, with fees available on top of the increased kitty to cover wages.

He added: ‘We spent a significant amount last year not just in January, but also the summer. There has been significant backing, there always has been at the football club.

‘It may not be to the levels of the top boys, we’re not there yet, but we’re taking the right steps as football club.

‘We want to do it the right way - and I’m extremely confident we’ll have a good crack at it next year.’

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