Transfer latest: Portsmouth boss' key update on loans, fees and attacking player hunt
The transfer latest from John Mousinho this evening, with a illuminating insight into where things stand in terms of loans, fees and the attacking player hunt.
Pompey are looking for up to three new attacking additions as they focus their player hunt in forward areas.
And John Mousinho has insisted there’s money to spend on supplementing his goal-shy forward line, as his club search for some potency.
The Blues head coach has also indicated he expects the remainder of his side’s business this month to be an even mix of loans and permanent additions, in a critical period of recruitment.
Pompey are keen on Grenoble striker Nesta Elphege this month, with FC Zurich winger Jahnoah Markelo another player in their sights.
Mousinho has confirmed both a winger and striker are required before February 2, but is now also refusing to rule out also recruiting a deep-lying attacking threat in the number 10 position.
The Pompey boss has also spoken about the considerations of shopping at home and abroad, in an illuminating insight into where the player hunt stands.
Mousinho said: ‘With the remaining places I would say it’s a balance of the two (loans and permanent signings).
‘And I think it’s still looking like that (forward) area at the moment, based purely on the fact we lost two wingers last week.
A even mixture of loans and fees to cover remaining Pompey transfers
‘Harvey (Blair) is short term but Franco (Umeh) is out for the season and we haven’t got a return date on Flo (Bianchini).
‘With Murph (Murphy) we were hopeful of getting him back sooner, but that has dragged on a bit eve if he is fine.
‘Before we got Milli (Alli) we didn’t have any wingers and no natural width, so you can see we were short there for a wide which wants natural width.
‘We’ve also had Tom (Waddingham) injured and too much strain on Mack (Kirk) and Colby (Bishop), we didn’t expect Mack to play as much as he has so soon. With Callum (Lang) out as well and looking at the injuries you can see why we’re looking there.
‘Then there’s the lack of goals we’ve scored. We get into the final third really well, but aren’t doing enough with it. When we have enough attacking players at our disposal that will change.
‘Possibly (he’d sign a 10) but goalscoring attackers in that area aren’t easy to find.
‘That’s the trade off, if you want to buy a guaranteed goalscorer at the level they cost a huge amount and there’s not many of them available. Or you could take a risk abroad.
‘There’s quite a few permutations. What we’re keen to do is get a couple of pieces of the puzzle in place and go from there.’
Mousinho has indicated he wants up to six new players in across this window, with Alli and Ebou Adams kickstarting business last week.
Pompey paid Derby County £500,000 for Adams, with the Pompey boss confirming there’s money to spend on similar permanent captures.
Mousinho isn’t totally writing off landing another winger, too, though he explained balancing budgets and the EFL’s 25-man squad rules is a consideration there.
When asked if there could be more than one winger could arrive, he added: ‘We definitely want one more winger.
‘But my position is to always go heavier on players, you then have to balance that against the budget and more importantly the balance of the squad.
‘There is money to spend, it’s almost a case of making sure we don’t end up with too many players.’