‘Needing some surgery’: The number of signings required by Portsmouth this summer as transfer plans laid bare
It’s expected to be a busy summer in the transfer window at Fratton Park for Pompey.
Pompey must recruit at least seven new signings this summer if they want to progress in the Championship next season.
That’s the clear verdict of The News’ Jordan Cross, who has spelt out the significance of the forthcoming transfer window.
It’s expected to be a busy summer at Fratton Park as the Blues bid to improve on their 18th-placed finish last term.
Eleven new arrivals were recruited 12 months ago, with John Mousinho plotting plenty of business in the upcoming market, which gets underway in less than three weeks time.
Although incomings are expected, a number of outgoings will be required as the head coach shapes his squad to the confines of the EFL’s 25-man squad.
And Cross has detailed Pompey’s transfer plans at length in the latest episode of Pompey Talk, explaining how many players he thinks Mousinho’s side need to sign.
The number of signings needed at Fratton Park this summer
The News’ Blues reporter said: ‘We’ve had John Mousinho say it will be a busy summer.
‘If you look at the squad - and this is me, I caveat this - I think you need to make a few assumptions before I give you the answer on the number.
‘I think you’ve got to assume a few players go. I think you’ve got to assume Jacob Farrell probably goes. You’ve got to assume possibly Ibane Bowat, who we know and have spoken to is keen for regular first-team football. If he doesn’t get that then I think he will go in one form or another.
‘I think unfortunately you’ve got to presume that Terry Devlin likely goes, maybe even Adrian Segecic as well. I've put that as a question mark.
‘I would also assume the number of players going out on loan, Toby Steward, Makenzie Kirk, probably Harvey Blair/Franco Umeh depending on Franco’s injury situation and young Tayo Singerr.
‘With Marlon (Pack) signing his contract, I make it 27 players contracted - you’ve obviously got Mark Kosznovszky injured - so if you take those players out of the equation, you’re probably looking at nine off that number.
‘That’s one part of the assumption. So at that point, you need to look at the squad and where the holes are.
‘I think we’re okay in the goalkeeping department, you’ve got the trio of players there with Toby (Steward) going out on loan. I think they’re well stocked there.
‘Left-back, you’re going to need one player. I think Jacob Farrell goes and you’ve got Ogilvie so you’re going to need one there.
‘Centre-back will be a fluid situation. Six contracted players there even with Bowat. They’re going to assess the situation when they return (for pre-season). Potentially if (Madiodio) Dia and (Hayden) Matthews came back at the requisite levels with (Regan) Poole and Conor Shaughnessy, they’d be alright. And Josh Knight in the mix also.
‘Then you look at right-back. Swanson stays hopefully, Devlin goes and then (Jordan) Williams is an interesting one. How does that shape-up? Does he want to go? Does he want regular first-team football? You’re possibly looking at one there.
‘Onto midfield. You’ve got Ebou Adams frontline, Marlon Pack likely back-up, (Luke) Le Roux to my surprise is wanted next season, you’ve got John Swift who is more of a front-end number eight or a 10 and then you’ve got the injured Mark Kosznovszky. So certainly a front-line central midfielder in there.
‘Now the frontline - if you throw in the wingers - is where you’re really needing some surgery.
‘Looking at that area of the pitch, you’ve got (Keshi) Anderson, (Josh) Murphy, Blair, Umeh and Segecic.
‘You need a back-up to Murphy even with Anderson there so maybe a (Millenic) Alli would be a potential and depending on what happens if Blair and Umeh go out, I would like to see Segecic stay and operate as a 10.
‘I think probably you’re looking at two or three across the frontline area and then certainly a front-line number nine.
‘That’s not a Championship hardened number nine, that’s a Championship ready number nine. Someone that can go in there and vie with Colby Bishop and even start ahead of him.
‘So how many is that? That’s potentially seven so that’s my magic number and there’s flexibility in that in terms of who goes out, does Segecic go?
‘This has got to take place in the confines of the 25-man squad situation. Lots of juggling up but probably around seven at the moment.’