Portsmouth transfer dealings laid bare as cost of squad transformation revealed

Pompey spent £1.52m in transfer fees to transform their playing squad, according to latest accounts.

While that spending power was bolstered by £773,119 generated from player sales, primarily through Marcus Harness’ departure for Ipswich.

Accounts filed at Companies House for the year ending June 30, 2023, detail the cost of the rebuild in the 12 months building up this season’s Championship drive.

They contain Colby Bishop’s July 2022 arrival from Accrington for a reported £500,000 - one of six players the Blues paid fees for - although a Danny Cowley signing.

Following sporting director Rich Hughes’ appointment in September 2022 and John Mousinho’s arrival as head coach, Pompey also purchased Ryley Towler, Paddy Lane, Christian Saydee, Terry Devlin and Kusini Yengi during that period.

According to club accounts, they totalled £1,522,569 - that’s up from £716,636 when the Blues finished eighth in League One in 2022-23.

In addition to the reported £500,000 fee paid for Bishop, around £250,000 was spent on capturing Lane from Fleetwood in January 2023.

The recruitment of Towler (Bristol City), Saydee (Bournemouth), Devlin (Glentoran) and Yengi (Western Sydney Wanderers) account for the remainder, with the total also including agent payments.

In the case of Yengi, although unveiled as a Pompey signing in July 2023, the reported £90,000 deal was actually completed in time to be included in the latest set of accounts.

However, Anthony Scully’s transfer fee from Wigan is not contained - despite arriving on the south coast in June 2023 - and will be in the next set of accounts.

Incidentally, from the accounts, it can now be clarified that Pompey did not pay a fee to Arsenal for Zak Swanson in July 2022, despite Cowley having previously intimated a sum was involved for the right-back.

Crucially, that £1.52m recruitment drive was backed by £773,119 brought in through player sales.

That is chiefly through Harness’ reported £650,000 switch to Ipswich in July 2022, with 12 months remaining on his Fratton Park contract.

Alex Bass’ departure for Sunderland (July 2022) and Reeco Hackett to Lincoln (June 2023) are the two other sales during this period.

The previous year’s accounts up until June 30, 2022, showed sales of just £74,590, which included the exits of John Marquis (Lincoln) and Ellis Harrison (Fleetwood).

The cost of players arriving at Fratton Park on loan have been reduced by £222,000 as a result of Pompey’s desire to reduce reliance on them.

There were a total of seven loan players in 2022-23 - Josh Griffiths, Joe Pigott, Dane Scarlett, Owen Dale, Josh Koroma, Matt Macey and Di’Shon Bernard.

Meanwhile, playing numbers increased from 38 to 44 due to increased Academy scholars, while office and football management numbers dropped to 79 from 102, largely due to the club transfer of the health club staff to an external operating company. Wages and salaries across the club show £8.28m up from £7.87m in previous year.

The accounts are for the year up to June 30, 2023, therefore do not include the signings of Callum Lang, Tom McIntyre and Owen Moxon in January’s transfer window - or the summer signing of Scully.

Overall, Pompey have reported a £3.09m loss during that period, compared to a £2.9 loss the previous year.