Portsmouth boss reveals Championship playing budget details in battle with Leeds United, Sunderland, West Brom & Co

The Blues boss indicated his squad kitty has more than doubled this season, after guiding his club back into the second tier after a 12-year absence.

And Mousinho is adamant there is still cash available to spend on transfer fees before the close of the transfer window, as his side prepare to open their campaign at title favourites Leeds United.

Frustration mounted in sections of Pompey’s support this week, as news of former loanee Alex Robertson’s impending move to Cardiff City emerged.

That preceded Andre Dozzell’s arrival being confirmed, before Matt Ritchie’s homecoming was sealed after leaving Newcastle United.

Mousinho underlined the harsh reality of the Championship terrain Pompey are now climbing, but feels they have been well backed by owners Tornante.

He said: ‘The way I can frame it is our playing budget has significantly more than doubled.

‘The transfer fees that we’ve been given are available and there for us to spend - we’ve bought players and we’ve put bids in for players.

‘We are also offering players really good wages in the Championship.

‘I think financially we are not able to compete with some of the boys who are coming out of the Premier League and really established Championship clubs.

‘But I think for where we are and the backing the board has given us and compared to where we were in League One last year with a really healthy budget, to go up and have that jump into the Championship this year has been brilliant.’

The simple reality is, even with a vastly improved playing budget, Pompey will now find themselves towards the bottom end of the Championship hierarchy when it comes to squad resources next term.

That’s going to present very different challenges after being a heavy hitter and big attraction to targets in League One.

Mousinho added: ‘I think we have been really well backed by the board, but it still means we’re in a really different position in terms of recruitment to last year.

‘I think we made no bones about that last year, when we recruited players we were pretty much top of the tree in the league.

‘Budget-wise, yes, we were close to the top but with the attraction of the size of the club and when we selling Portsmouth to players in League One, it’s a pretty easy sell.

‘Now sometimes we’re competing with different clubs in the Championship - it’s just very different.

‘But we’re really happy with where we are financially and the backing we’ve been given.

‘It’s been incredible from the owners and as we’ve gone through the transfer window to the back end of August, there’s plenty more support available.’