Former Portsmouth transfer chief's recruitment warning as ex-Leeds United, West Brom and Nottingham Forest man’s old club look overseas
Pompey are looking abroad for transfer business this summer, with their former director of recruitment - who is now with Watford - giving an insight into the wisdom of doing so.
Domestic transfer prices are being driven up once again.
And finding the right players in the Championship recruitment market at present is ‘easier said than done’, with the summer window now up and running.
‘Financial input of other clubs’ impacting British transfer market
That’s the warning from former Pompey transfer guru, Luke Dowling, who is now plotting the business of Championship rivals Watford.
Dowling sees a transfer terrain where player prices are being driven up by big hitters, while free agents are demanding ‘very, very high’ salaries.
The man who was the Blues’ director of recruitment back in 2012 during the club’s second period of administration, has now taken on a consultancy position at Vicarage Road.
Dowling’s role with the Hornets was being framed as the club pivoting towards bringing in additions from these shores under controversial owner Gino Pozzo.
The 47-year-old sees the Championship as a difficult place to recruit at present, however, in a period where Pompey are known to be casting their net wide for their own targets.
Speaking on Watford FC’s official podcast: 'The Championship seems to go round in cycles and it seems to have come round again where clubs are throwing lots of money at it again.
'If it's a free transfer, the salaries are becoming very, very high.
'As this club (Watford) has always done, we will work in our own way in terms of recruitment, wherever they may be from, to ultimately get the players that we feel will improve the team and the club.
'Now if that's a British-based player, great. If it's somewhere else then no problem at all.
'We understand that, obviously if we can get some more potentially British-based players in, that will help the group and help the core of the team - which we want.
'But that's sometimes easier said than done, because of the financial input of other clubs this year.'
Pompey are set to increase their transfer spending this summer for their third season in the Championship, but will still need to find value as they move up the divisional spending table.
Blues chief executive Andy Cullen has confirmed they will look overseas as they do that, with Dutch midfielder Gibson Yah an early name to emerge on that front.
He spoke to The News last month on needing clarity on the relaxed Home Office rules for bringing in players from the continent, which is something his club have utilised in recent seasons.
Cullen said: ‘I think we will be (looking abroad) - we’ll continue to monitor all markets.
‘We’re obviously bound by immigration rules, however.
‘First of all we have the Governing Body Endorsements (GBEs), which mean you need established players.
‘What we have used is the Elite Significant Contributions (ESCs), but you are limited on those and the FA are currently suggesting there will be restrictions which will restrict you even further.
‘That is something we need a quick decision on because it affects our recruitment approach this summer, as it will for all clubs.
‘In the Championship you are restricted to four at any one point, but they can transition.
‘We’ve had a number transition by virtue of the fact they’ve had first-team appearances or been with us for some time.
‘Adrian Segecic and Hayden Matthews are examples of players who transitioned from ESC to GBE.
‘Also with loan players, let’s say Minhyeok (Yang), he is an ESC player. He will be part of Spurs' quota and also part of our quota when we bring him in.
‘If you cast your mind back to Adil Aouchiche, we had to transition a player to GBE to get him in. Then those rules changed in 25-26 and we wouldn’t have been able to do that, because the transition has to take place the window after the player has achieved his GBE status.
‘So the rules are constantly changing and also prevalent on the fact there needs to be a certain number of English-qualified players in the leagues.
‘If any one league falls behind the quota the Home Office can withdraw the scheme.
‘It’s hugely important to a club like Portsmouth, because we’ve used the European market well and we try to drive it to the max.
‘So it’s something which does impact when you look at overseas markets for players who don’t have British passports.
‘It’s not clear at the moment (what the changes will be), so all of us in the Championship are trying to ensure there’s clarity over what ESC looks like because it has changed every season so far.’