This is what we thought of Portsmouth's transfer window - best & worst moments, favourite signing and overall rating
Pompey writers Neil Allen and Jordan Cross give their verdicts on the Blues’ summer transfer window business
The 2025 summer transfer window has finally closed, with Pompey emerging from the carnage that’s been left behind with 11 new signings.
The sensational deadline day return of former hero Conor Chaplin on loan from Ipswich put the seal on the Blues’ business and was the perfect way to end a hectic period for all involved.
In the end, Pompey forked out fees for seven of their latest incomings - Adrian Segecic, Luke Le Roux, Mark Kosznovszky, Josh Knight, Josef Bursik, Makenzie Kirk and Franco Umeh, while they also recouped some hard-earned cash following the permanent departures of Christian Saydee, Ryley Towler and Paddy Lane.
Head coach John Mousinho now has 11 days to mold his even fresher new-look squad into a united force that can not only come out fighting against Southampton at St Mary’s on Sunday, September 14, but also build on the Blues’ solid start to their latest Championshup season.
That’s a task he’ll be more than happy to take on head first. But as he sets about doing that, we’ve consulted The News’ most senior Pompey writers to get their take on the transfer window now gone.
Here’s what Neil Allen and Jordan Cross have to say as the dust settles on the now closed 2025 summer transfer window.
Favourite moment of transfer window?
NA: The signing of Conor Chaplin. We all love him. He's always spoke so highly about Pompey, he's always promised that one day he'll be coming back and he's here and it's brilliant.
JC: Conor Chaplin - and, more precisely, the moment I was able to get clearance to write the story that the deal had been sealed. I knew it was happening long before it was officially confirmed.
Also, dropping the information on the sports desk WhatsApp group and seeing the joy that unfolded - europhoria that was then repeated by the fans.
Worst moment of transfer window?
NA: It was really sad to say farewell to Christian Saydee. He always made an impact coming off the bench, is a lovely lad and was very popular among the squad.
It was a wonderful moment seeing him score in the last game of last season against Hull. But he needed to get games elsewhere and it was the right thing to do to sell him.
JC: Saying goodbye to the League One heroes, the people who all played such an important part in getting Pompey out of that division. Great characters like Ryley Towler, Christian Saydee and obviously Paddy Lane!
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Pompey’s most impressive signing?
NA: Adrian Segecic has been head and shoulders above all the newcomers so far.
From the moment he made his first appearance against Woking in pre-season, he's been exceptional. He looks a real talent and is already hugely popular among the fans. It's going to be a big season for him.
JC: Naturally, Conor Chaplin! It's an emotive signing, but if you speak to any impartial assessor, they will be consistent with the fact that that was not just a fantastic Pompey signing, but the Championship deal of the day.
That's not just from blue-tinted spectacles, that's from people who know football, know the EFL and know the Championship.
Pompey signing that will prove to be a masterstroke?
NA: Conor Chaplin. We all know his quality. We all know how much he loves the football club. Last time he was in the Championship, he was the joint-top scorer at Ipswich - and he'll fit into this Pompey team perfectly in the number 10 role.
JC: Adrian Segecic. To come in for what would be a relatively small fee in terms of compensation, he's already given Pompey a real great insight into his ability.
I spent so much time looking at Segecic videos and doing my homework on him, so I was really excited he joined.
The early signs are good, but I do expect some adjustment and some peaks and troughs along the way.
Pompey fans can already see why they worked so hard to get it.
The Conor Shaughnessy signing of 2025?
NA: It's far too early to predict who's going to shine at the moment. We've not seen four of the players play yet. So apart from Segecic, no-one really has stood out. But then again, he was hardly a free transfer!
JC: To me, it’s between Luke Le Roux and Josh Knight. Le Roux has the potential to emerge, but I'm going on a small body of work with him at the moment.
In that case, I’ll go for Josh Knight. He’s got pedigree at Championship level and you just have to look at the reaction of Peterborough fans when he signed for Pompey - that shows you how he's rated up there.
The high-tariff signings are the strikers and the attackers, but I think he's got potential to be a massive part of Pompey moving forward in the Championship.
The summer transfer that got away?
NA: Abu Kamara. We all wanted him to come back but it was never going to happen.
In the real world, Pompey didn’t have the finances to buy him, while Hull wouldn't have wanted to sell him to a rival.
Unfortunately, it was never going to happen, but we can still dream.
JC: I’m going to say Abdoulie Manneh, potentially, and Alex Robertson. Pompey would have loved both of those, but they were probably nowhere near getting them. We can’t forget Pelle Mattsson, either.
Any Pompey squad concerns following end of window?
NA: Yeah, I'm still slightly concerned about the right-hand side of midfield, where Matt Ritchie previously was. The question is, has he been replaced?
So far, it looks like Pompey replaced him by moving both Callum Lang and Adrian Segecic out there. The other alternatives are Florian Bianchini and Minyeok Yang, and it’s still early days for those two. Meanwhile, Franco Umeh has never played a senior game of competitive football and Harvey Blair is injured.
JC: Not really, I think they've got a really well-balanced squad now. The squad planning has been impressive.
One area of focus is, probably, Pompey are or one injury away from having a young striker up top if something happens to Colby Bishop. He's so important to Pompey, that doesn't change.
That said, I understand why you focus a finite budget in other areas when you've got such a good option in Colby there.
Pompey’s transfer window rating out of 10?
NA: 8/10.
JC: I’ve seen Pompey fans rate it 15/10, 100/10, while there’s also been a lot of 9/10s and 8/10s. Chaplin’s arrival, for me, took it from a 6/10 or 7/10 to an 8 or 9/10. On that note I'll go 8.5/10.
What’s your overall verdict?
NA: Conor Chaplin dramatically escalated Pompey's transfer window on the final day, while they've strengthened in every position.
They've brought in experienced players at this level, which they didn't necessarily do last season, and we shall wait and see how these players perform.
JC: A disproportionate amount of weight is afforded to deadline day, with the excitement around the final activity of the window. But, for Pompey, I always felt that what happened on the last day of activity framed their overall business.
And that's why getting those young players through the door for reasonable fees and then dropping the grenade of Connor Chaplin really takes a sound and solid window to a very, very good one - with the caveat, the proof is in the pudding when we see these players.