Portsmouth boss reveals position over free agent move after transfer window’s close

And the Blues will consider a return to the market for out-of-contract players, with space still available to bring in a new face this term.

The transfer window closed on Monday night at the end of a busy month in which eight players arrived at PO4 and eight players departed.

Pompey can still bring in unattached options, however, as they did last season when recruiting Lee Evans as injuries hit their midfield options.

They would have to work within the confines of the 25-man squad rules in place in the Championship, but there is one space still open there after the end of their business in the winter window.

Mousinho said: ‘There’s no one that we want to take (as a free agent) right now, but we probably thought exactly the same thing last season.

‘We were comfortable at the back end of January and Lee (Evans) was still doing his MCL (knee ligament) rehab, but he came through in March and was training with Ipswich, so it became a possibility.

‘That was particularly the case with the Tom Lowery and Joe Morrell injuries we had, so it became smart business for us. If we’re faced with something similar again this year we have the available spot, or if one of the players we expected will be out with a longer-term injury comes back we have the spot as well. It’s useful for us to have.

‘One bit of good luck we had over the first half of the season was Colby (Bishop) coming back quicker than expected. It was bad luck for Ibane (Bowat), but we were able to bring Colby into the squad. We have that option now without having to do anything.

‘We are across that because it’s one of those markets which is incredibly transparent - and you just know who’s available.’

Pitfalls

Although open to the notion of bringing in a free agent if required, Mousinho highlighted the potential pitfalls of doing so.

He added: ‘There is sometimes a clamour to take a player from the free agent market. The best ones in that market are often snapped up pretty quickly, but you never know what is available. Some of these players have not played for a long time either, so getting them up to scratch quickly can be difficult.’