Number of signings, positions and Eisner spending: The big Portsmouth transfer window details
The transfer window is firmly up and running, and there’s much we can ascertain about the way forward for Pompey this month from the key players at Fratton Park. Here’s all the details from what they’ve been saying on the big January issues.
‘Much will depend on where we are when we get to January, whether the likes of Harvey Blair and Franco come back and are fit and firing and can stay healthy.
‘But, without being precise, we are looking at between 3-6 (signings) - and I think we’ll get that.
‘We’ve got a good idea of the positions needed, you will find out at the back end of January. You’ll have to be patient.
Mousinho: ‘We’re looking at between 3-6 (signings), and I think we’ll get that’
‘There will be a mixture of loans and permanents. Ideally, the short-term is probably the most important thing for us in this window, considering the league position.
‘If we can enhance our capabilities longer term as well, then we will look to do that. Last year when we brought in Hayden and Tom Waddingham, they were probably more for the long-term.
‘Yet they both also had a real impact in terms of our run-in in the Championship.’
John Mousinho on how many new signings to expect, December 8, 2005
‘It will probably be the back end of January for Connor (Ogilvie). It might be a position we look at, we’ll see how Connor returns, but I think we’d be a bit naive if we weren’t looking for a left-back.
‘The whole point of us trying to build a squad is to have those two players in every position and, at the minute, we don't have any in that left-back slot.
‘While we don’t want to be oversubscribed if Connor comes back and depending how Jacob is, but we just have to be more cautious this January than anything else, particularly considering our league position.
‘I don’t think we are necessarily going to have that luxury of seeing how Connor is when he comes back before deciding whether we need another left-back, unless he comes back quicker.
‘So we will definitely have our eye on that position.’
John Mousinho on the search for a new left-back, December 18, 2025
‘We don’t really want to be in a situation where we have players on the books that we have to deregister - but we’ll do whatever it takes to be as strong as possible.
‘After 18 months in the job, I didn’t think we would ever take more than five loans at a time, but that’s exactly what happened to strengthen the side. I thought it worked out pretty well in the end too.
‘So you have to be flexible and adaptable. If we move a couple of players on, then great, we’ve got one spot available, but I think we’ll have to see how that progresses.
Mousinho on deregistering: ‘We’ll do whatever it takes to be as strong as possible’
‘If you look over the past few weeks, pretty much everyone has now contributed, everyone has played a part. Harvey has come in and started a couple of games, Franco has come on and played, Makenzie has come back in from not having played the last few games, I thought he did a really good job against Charlton.
‘It’s going to be an interesting one, there’s no cut and dry options in terms of what we’re going to do, we’ll have to see.’
John Mousinho on deregistering players, January 2, 2026
‘Every conversation we’ve had with the board has been really positive.
‘They’ve always been willing to have the conversations about what needs to be done for the football club, specifically with transfers.
‘We’re confident that we are going to be able to affect the group and again we’ll be backed by the board to do so.
Sporting director Rich Hughes: ‘Every conversation with board has been really positive’
‘We’ve had a lot of conversations internally throughout the month of November and December about where we want to go.
‘And then we’ve sort of started the back-end of December off being very proactive, speaking to a lot of clubs and a lot of players.
‘(We’re) Just trying to work as diligently as we can and as sensibly as we can but also try and get players in the door as early as possible to affect as many of the January games as we can.’
Rich Hughes on board’s financial support and the window plan to BBC Radio Solent, January 5, 2026
'There hasn't been any talks. I think assessments on what we want to do with the whole squad, ins or outs, balance of the squad, that comes after Sunday, to be honest.
'Of course, the club's working hard behind the scenes, but there's been such a busy run of games. Things can always change.
'We'll get past Sunday and then we'll sit down, we'll look at the four months since September and assess the group - where we think we could make any additions, where we might want to be a little bit tighter in the group.
'And, of course, players who are on loan will be part of those discussions.'
Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna on recalling Conor Chaplin, January 2, 2025
'It’s not necessarily a position we are desperate to fill.
‘We’ve got options in terms of back ups to where we’ve been to Colby as that front liner. That won’t be a priority of ours.
‘It’s just one of the areas we’ve been looking at constantly and we’ll keep monitoring, but we are certainly backing Colby to be able to refind the goal-scoring form that he has done previously in a Pompey shirt.
‘There have been promising signs in the last two games. I think his performances have gotten a lot better as well, so we are pleased with that.
‘With forward players, they are always a bit more expensive than everyone else on the pitch, but that wouldn’t necessarily be a prohibitive factor.’
John Mousinho on recruiting a striker in the transfer window, December 23, 2025
‘I will say that, with the January window coming up, we are going to keep the path we’re on, we are going to look for young, aggressive players, we are going to use loans where we need them for the second half of the season.
‘With three players now coming back from injuries, I think now we are going to see a change.
Michael Eisner: ‘We are going to keep the path we’re on’
'I still believe in the strategy of getting good players and advancing your team, but also saleable, which is a way to make up for the losses which will happen for us.
‘As Eric said last year, we do not want to be a yo-yo club, we do not want to go back down to League One, we want to go up the ladder, we want to be financially intelligent.
‘We are as enthusiastic as always, all three of my sons and Jayne are enthusiastic, we just have to figure out the finances, and get the parliament law completed (Independent Football Regulator) and we have to not be relegated.
‘I am always optimistic. For the last time, we are not being relegated - trust me.’
Michael Eisner on the January window plan, November 24, 2025