Detailed: Where Portsmouth’s improved playing budget will sit in Championship next season
John Mousinho will be afforded an improved playing budget with bigger fees for signings, but Wrexham and Birmingham City are set to shift the financial landscape in the Championship.
The good news is John Mousinho has already confirmed he’s being given an improved playing budget next season.
Likewise, there’s a conviction from the Pompey boss transfer fees not seen since the tail end of his club’s Premier League days, could be available to strengthen his playing group this summer.
It’s enough to enthuse the Blues head coach about what lies ahead, with a Championship squad’s foundations in place to compete moving forward.
But there is also the jolting reality of the shifting financial sands of next season’s second tier to throw into the mix.
The perceived wisdom was Pompey were at the bottom of the division’s playing budget hierarchy with Plymouth, as they over-performed to finish 16th in the table.
So where will adding millions to the playing warchest getting them moving forward? Probably in just about the same position in the stark raving bonkers land of Championship spending.
One of the reasons it was so important to get out of League One last season was Wrexham, Birmingham and a number of well-funded clubs joining the race to reach this division. The problem being 12 months on the dollar-laden duo have now reached the second tier, and are about to blow the Blues and a host of other clubs out of the water with their financial muscle.
For context here, Birmingham’s spending to win League One is significantly beyond Pompey’s resources for next season. Meanwhile, The News understands Wrexham pot to cover player salaries is set to be more than double what the Blues will operate with.
The teams reasonably expected to be in Pompey’s sphere next season will likely remain ahead of them, with Derby County CEO Stephen Pearce confirming an improved playing budget for John Eustace. Then there’s the likes of Oxford United and Preston North End, with the latter believed to have significantly more available to them than the Blues.
That then leaves the winners of Sunday’s League One play-off final between Leyton Orient and Charlton Athletic, who likely come in at the bottom end of the spectrum.
Fewer sides with parachute payments
Some good news arrives in the form of fewer Championship sides being in receipt of parachute payments in the 2025-26 season, with less of the £1.6 billion set aside by the Premier League in the division.
With payments made over three seasons, Luton have dropped straight into League One while Leeds and Burnley have reset their counters with a return to the top flight in that period.
Relegated sides Ipswich, Southampton and Leicester were promoted in the 2023-24 campaign, meaning they will not receive the £17m clubs are due in the final season of payments. Clubs receive £48m in the first and £39m in the second season following relegation.
Casting envious glances at the financial muscle of others isn’t something Mousinho is prepared to do, however, with a look at his squad’s position enough to quietly enthuse.
Pompey are also 12 months further down the Championship road in terms of experience, even to those coming into the division with frightening resources.
Although Mousinho's loathe to index improvements to league position after surprisingly ending up 16th, there’s gains to be made in squad balance and consistency next season. That prospect permeates the Pompey boss' enthusiasm on the subject.
‘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 one thing we know we've done this year is be competitive at the level. I just think it’s a really exciting thing to be able to maximise what we do, with the resources we’re given.’