'I think we can' - Portsmouth transfer chief's important message to Fratton faithful ahead of January - and with Blues back in Championship relegation zone
This season’s January transfer window run from January 1 until 7pm on Monday, February 2.
Rich Hughes is adamant Pompey’s battle against relegation will not impact their ability to strengthen during the January transfer window.
But the Blues’ sporting director warned some of that much-needed business might not materialise until the latter stages of next month and that patience among the Fratton faithful will be needed.
With the opening of the January trading window just five days away, Pompey find themselves third from bottom in the Championship table after 22 games.
The Boxing Day draw at home to QPR stretched their current unbeaten run to three games, but it wasn’t enough for John Mousinho’s side to avoid dropping back into the relegation zone following managerless Oxford United’s surprise 2-1 victory against Southampton.
The Blues’ current points tally 22 is two more than what they were on at the exact same juncture of last season, when they sat second from bottom in the standings following a 3-0 humbling at the hands of Bristol City.
Back then, the January transfer window came to the Fratton Park club’s rescue, with eight new signings (four permanents and four loans) helping the Blues finish 16th and five points clear of trouble come the end of the campaign.
The important early loan arrivals of Rob Atkinson (Bristol City) and Isaac Hayden (Newcastle United) kick-started that process and an impressive second half of the 2024-25 season that saw an additional 34 points accumulated.
With that in mind, Hughes remains confident Pompey can once again attract the 3-6 signings Mousinho wants next month to help with the latest battle against the drop, even if they arrive late into the window.
Hughes: There’s money in the budget available
Speaking on the subject at the recent Tony Goodall Fans’ Conference, the Pompey sporting director said: ‘We find ourselves in December with some (summer transfer window) deals having not quite worked out as intended yet. This is not where we want to be in the table. Can we attract good quality signings in January? I think we can.
‘We’re in roughly the same spot we were 12 months ago in terms of points on the board, and we were able to recruit last January to positively affect the group.
‘That’s the aim again next month. It may be that some of our business is done towards the back end of January, which comes with its frustrations, but there is money in the budget available for January. We want to be as active and proactive as possible.’
Pompey signings for here and now v up-and-coming player arrivals?
What those signings look like exactly remains to be seen.
When asked if the Blues would prioritise players for the here and now over players who could potentially generate profits in the future, Hughes admitted both strategies will be in operational - although both can achieve the same goal.
He added: ‘There’s a scenario where both statements can be true. Last January, we bought a mixture of players for the here and now and also some we thought could develop and grow with the club.
‘We have to move towards making decisions which allow us to be sustainable. That will dictate some decisions we make, but we need to keep both strategies moving forward.
‘Of course, we want to prioritise the here and now and get players who can make an immediate impact in the last few months of the season.’
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