Portsmouth chief’s transfer admission as Blues hunt attacking firepower
Insight from the Pompey sporting director on this summer’s transfer policy - with a spotlight on the striker department.
Pompey will ‘prioritise’ signing a new striker this summer.
But Blues sporting director, Rich Hughes, has dismissed the notion of it being necessary to land ‘established’ Championship performers in the months ahead.
Pompey chief on striker signing: ‘A position we’ll prioritise’
Work is continuing ahead of the transfer window opening on June 15, with another busy period of player trading anticipated.
Most areas of the pitch will likely require surgery as Pompey prepare for a third campaign in the second tier.
And the striking department will certainly be under the microscope, in a campaign where not landing significant back-up to Colby Bishop drew criticism.
That move was born out of making Pompey’s playing budget work, with it known their standing in that area is near the bottom of the Championship hierarchy.
Bishop’s travails did shine a light on that approach, however, in a campaign where the striker returned just three league goals - and two from open play.
Now that scenario looks set to remedied, with Hughes telling the Tony Goodall Fans’ Conference: ‘I won’t comment specifically around Colby, but we do want to add to and strengthen the top end of the pitch. So it’s definitely a position we’ll prioritise and add to in the summer.'
Hughes elaborated on his thinking for this summer’s transfer policy, by distancing Pompey from the idea of signing Championship performers who already know the level.
He highlighted how Terry Devlin and Adrian Segecic have been developed into assets, despite not being acquainted with the level.
Hughes added: ‘I think the one thing I want to knock off is the notion of “established Championship players”.
‘Look at Coventry – a good chunk of that squad who are now "established Championship players" weren’t when they signed them.
‘Terry Devlin and Adrian Segečić weren’t "Championship ready" players when we signed them but are now.
‘I think what people are asking for is more immediate impact from signings.
‘There’s some frustration around signings not being effective – we just want to make sure we’re in a good spot with balancing the group.
'We want to get good bang for buck when we sign players. We want to get as much out of the confines of restrictions we’re allowed to spend. ‘When we were signing four or five players at £1m, it’s because we need four or five players.