Report: Portsmouth man on Sheffield Wednesday radar as Owls set to announce takeover
Could Rich Hughes’ time as Pompey sporting director be coming to an end?
Pompey boss John Mousinho isn’t the only one being linked with a move away from Fratton Park ths summer.
Sporting director Rich Hughes could also be waving goodbye to the Blues in the coming weeks, if the latest rumours about him turn out to be true.
Indeed, Football League World are reporting he’s in the frame to be appointed Sheffield Wednesday’s new sporting director under anticipated new owners Arise Capital Partners.
The American consortium, headed by David Storch, is believed to be in the final stages of taking over the Owls, who have been in administration since last October.
Our sister paper, The Sheffield Star, are reporting that deal could even go through as early as today, bringing to an Dejphon Chansiri’s grip on the Hillsborough club.
Storch and prospective co-owner Tom Costin are both expected to attend Wednesday’s final game of the season against WBA on Saturday, with the fixture a sell-out as the Owls faithful anticipate a new era for the club.
That new era will begin in League One next season, following their relegation from the Championship. And according to Football League World, the club’s new hierarchy have already identified Hughes as someone who could help them return to the Championship as quickly as possible.
Arise, who are set to appoint outgoing Sunderland business chief David Bruce as their new CEO, want to introduce a sporting director role at the Owls.
And after being previously linked with former Arsenal scout and technical director James Ellis, who know looks destined for Bristol City, it’s claimed they could now turn their attentions to Hughes.
The Star has since backed up that claim, with Hughes understood to have been ‘sounded-out’ about the position. Others are also believed to be in the frame, however.
Hughes’ Pompey stint
Hughes has been with Pompey since September 2022, when he joined the Fratton Park club from Forest Green Rovers, where he had been director of football since 2019.
The 27-year-old’s time at the Blues as coincided with exciting times at PO4. The Blues won the League One title in his first full season at the club. Hughes was instrumental in the appointent of Mousinho as manager in January 2023, while the duo have helped steer Pompey clear of a return to the third tier in their two seasons back in the Championship.
Hughes is also credited with the signings of the likes of Terry Devlin, Conor Shaughnessy, Ebou Adams and Callum Lang, just four players who have excelled in club colours after making PO4 their new homes.
Mistakes have been made along the way, too. However, just like Mousinho, his stock has risen while operating with one of the smallest budgets in the Championship.
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