Pompey boss issues key transfer warning over deregistering players at window’s climax

But John Mousinho stated his preference for finding homes for those who could potentially be left in the cold over the second half of the season.

Pompey are completing another busy period of recruitment before Monday’s 11pm deadline, with six players landed so far in January in the shape of Rob Atkinson, Isaac Hayden, Hayden Matthews and Thomas Waddingham.

Deals have now also been agreed for Sunderland’s Adil Aouchiche and Rotherham’s Cohen Bramall, with both taking up squad places when the 25-man group is submitted to the EFL after the transfer window’s close.

Pompey would also like another forward addition before the close of the window, with their lack of options at present clear to see in that department. That business has to be managed within the confines of the squad rules Championship sides have to work to.

The blow of Jacob Farrell and Paddy Lane being ruled out for the season does free up a couple of spaces, which would be potentially offset by the two new players being signed. Then any other business would require a spot being made available by those who were registered, after the close of the summer window.

Keeper Will Norris is out of favour, Ryley Towler is being linked with a League One loan move and Owen Moxon’s future is under the spotlight. They are players who could potentially move on or even potentially be deregistered in the event of a departure being realised.

Mousinho said: ‘If it made us stronger we wouldn’t hesitate to do it (deregister a player) but it’s not ideal and it’s not what we want to do.

‘It’s not what players want as well, so we want players to play. Things are quite tight towards the back end of the window, but we will try to let players know if there’s limited opportunities for them between now and the end of the year.

‘It bizarrely does seem like there’s a long time to go in the window, but we’d be in constant contact with those players. I’ve got it all on a spreadsheet somewhere and we’re working our way around it. We will make sure we have that sorted out and do it properly.

‘The injuries aren’t a great thing to happen but having Jacob (Farrell) and Paddy (Lane) off the list does free up a couple of spaces.

‘Once we’re at the 25, we want to avoid a situation where we have people in the building not available to be on the squad list. If that’s unavoidable and there’s a case where we want to bring someone in and that’s the right thing to do, we’ll take a view on that and do it (deregister a player)

‘Ideally you want the 25 we have here and the under-21s are available to play.’

One upside of recruiting two promising Australian players in Thomas Waddingham and Hayden Matthews this month, is neither player take up one of the 25 squad spots as contracted under-21 players. The new faces join Harvey Blair, Terry Devlin, Abdoulaye Kamara, Toby Steward and Reuben Swann in that category.

Mousinho added: ‘We feel okay, we’ve moved a couple of bits around. We may have to shuffle a few bits over the next couple of days, we’re always wary of that.

‘We’re always wary of those numbers, but if you look at a couple of the additions we’ve made Thomas and Hayden fit outside of that. ‘So that’s good in terms of bolstering the squad and not actually costing us a place in the 25.

Pompey’s current 25-man squad picture

GK: Nicolas Schmid, Jordan Archer, Will Norris.

Def: Jordan Williams, Zak Swanson, Conor Shaughnessy, Tom McIntyre, Ryley Towler, Regan Poole, Connor Ogilvie, Rob Atkinson, Cohen Bramall.

Mid: Marlon Pack, Andre Dozzell, Owen Moxon, Freddie Potts, Isaac Hayden.

Att: Matt Ritchie, Callum Lang, Josh Murphy, Adil Aouchiche.

St: Kusini Yengi Christian Saydee, Mark O’Mahony, Colby Bishop.

Contracted under-21 players: Harvey Blair, Terry Devlin, Abdoulaye Kamara, Toby Steward, Reuben Swann, Hayden Matthews, Thomas Waddingham.