Portsmouth boss pinpoints plenty of loan business as Blues eye busy end to transfer window

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
John Mousinho expects four more loan arrivals before the transfer window shuts.

Sammy Silvera is presently their sole loanee - yet the Blues head coach wants to fill all five permitted slots.

A central midfielder and centre-half represent crucial positions to strengthen, but Pompey have also identified other areas of the squad requiring attention.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Space will be also created by further departures, with Anthony Scully having already been made available.

Myles Peart-Harris was one of four loan successes for Pompey last season. Pic: Jason Brown/ProSportsImagesMyles Peart-Harris was one of four loan successes for Pompey last season. Pic: Jason Brown/ProSportsImages
Myles Peart-Harris was one of four loan successes for Pompey last season. Pic: Jason Brown/ProSportsImages | Jason Brown/ProSportsImages

Last season Pompey used four of their five loan spaces, bringing in Alex Robertson, Abu Kamara, Tino Anjorin and Myles Peart-Harris.

Now, as a Championship side, they are intent on adding another four loanees before the August 31 transfer deadline.

Mousinho told The News: ‘I anticipate we will probably end up filling all five spaces.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

‘The very fact we are looking to bring four more in shows we believe loans are a really good way to maximise the budget and resources we have.

‘Last year we did really well with the four loans we brought in - all four played a massive part in the league season.

‘Abu played 46 games after coming in as a third or fourth choice winger, establishing himself very, very quickly as a frontliner. He added a huge amount of value to the squad and financially it was a really good deal for the football club.

‘Loans are really difficult because obviously you don’t own the player and there’s a different connection you have with the football club. That is something we really try to instil, to ensure players aren’t just using Pompey as a stepping stone.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

‘Of course, we don’t want to be completely pig-headed and not acknowledge the fact the players are coming to try to get their careers going at the other football club as well

‘But you look at the four loans we had last season. Although Robbo hasn’t ultimately signed for us, has a really special connection with the fans, Abu also has an unbelievable connection with everybody at the football club, Tino did as well and was popular, although didn't play a huge amount of games.

‘Then Myles, for the time he was here, just look at the post-season celebrations at Lincoln and you could see how much he loved being here and I think the feeling was mutual.

‘That’s what we try to get out of those loan players and we will probably look to get four more during this window.’

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Blues have so far recruited nine players during the summer transfer window, including loanee Silvera.

And Mousinho admits as a Championship side the recruitment process is no longer as ‘straightforward’.

He added: ‘Recruitment has been so different this year, such as the landscape in terms of where Pompey are as a football club sitting in the league.

‘In League One we all knew what a big draw it was for players and that’s something we’re trying to keep leveraging in the Championship. We have managed to do that with a few of the players.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

‘But look at Robbo last week, we are now competing with the likes of Cardiff, a well-established Championship side who have been in the Premier League in recent years.

‘That wasn’t the case last year when we were speaking to players, it was much more straightforward and Pompey were number one on the list.’

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.

News you can trust since 1877
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice