'A different sphere': Buoyant Rich Hughes on why Portsmouth can now aim higher in transfer market
The Blues have so far added Odin Bailey and Eoin Kenny to their ranks this summer
Rich Hughes has revealed Pompey are now shopping for players in a ‘different sphere’.
And he’s revelling in the challenge of attacking the transfer market armed with greater spending power and higher price range suddenly within reach.
Encouragingly, Tornante have responded to pleas from John Mousinho and their sporting director for improved player and transfer budgets ahead of a third successive Championship season.
As a consequence, Pompey have been pursuing Marko Milovanovic in a reported £5.1m deal, while £2.1m-rated Rocco Shein is also set for a Fratton Park switch.
Only last summer, no incoming player cost more than £1m, while the £1.25m outlayed for Hayden Matthews in January 2025 represents the most expensive signing during Michael Eisner’s nine years as owner.
However, Hughes and head of recruitment Brad Wall have now received the green light to ramp up their spending as they strive to strengthen the Blues.
‘Given us opportunities to go and dip into different markets’
Pompey’s sporting director told The News: ‘There was a conversation between the footballing department - me, John and Andy - and the board about where we want to take the football club and what we feel are the requisite points to build on and progress in the third season of the Championship.
‘That was a really positive conversation and I think they (the owners) shared an alignment of where we wanted to try to move the needle in terms of getting the football club to a different place.
‘Obviously the necessity of that requires financial support and there have been those conversations sharing the wisdom of previous windows with transfer fees and where we need to get to.
‘That has been incredibly well-received and given us opportunities to go and dip into different markets and move up the levels in terms of players we’re trying to sign and bring into the football club.
‘It doesn’t become a necessity that because you pay more you get better, there’s always value to be had, there’s always the right deals to be done.
‘But effectively in certain positions highlighted between me, John and Brad as a football department, it has allowed us to get into different spheres for players in key positions. That is really important to where we want to build up the squad and where we feel we need to get better.
‘Allowed us to enter conversations we previously wouldn’t have been in’
‘We’re really thankful for that backing because it has allowed us to enter conversations we previously wouldn’t have been in.
‘Within that there becomes a greater level of responsibility to really respect the money because we’re dealing with large sums. There’s still the level of diligence which has to go into everything and that need for patience in getting deals done and maximising everything.
‘But it has allowed us to have some different conversations this summer, which has been good, and, ultimately, will hopefully lead to a stronger footballing squad next year.’
Admittedly, Pompey’s first signing of the summer in Odin Bailey was a free transfer, having previously played for Stockport, while Eoin Kenny’s capture involved a five-figure fee from Dundalk.
However, the Blues are also in the market for far more costly options, including having agreed a £2m move with Dundee for long-time target Luke Graham, only for the defender to opt for Stoke.
Certainly once the signings of Milovanovic and Shein are finally unveiled, it will reflect a marked change in the Blues’ spending policy.
‘We are hopeful’
Hughes added: ‘We are probably at a stage where the output hasn’t truly reflected the input yet.
‘What I mean by that is obviously there’s a huge amount of work which goes into it at the back end of the season, throughout the off-season, then moving into the transfer window opening and then pre-season.
‘We’re pleased with the business we have done so far, but probably it’s reflective of knowing there’s still quite a lot to do and a lot of things to really push on with and get finalised to really strengthen the group.
‘We are hopeful that, over the coming period and by the start of the season and the close of the transfer window, there will be new bodies in the building and that extra level of depth in the squad.’
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