Exclusive:Portsmouth boss’ significant transfer spending vow as he outlines picture in new era
The Pompey boss outlines the levels to which Pompey are looking to spend under new SCR rules with a significant statement, while offering context over where that can carry the Blues in the second tier.
Pompey are going to spend ‘as much as possible’ as they bid to push forward in the Championship.
John Mousinho has delivered an exciting transfer promise over the levels to which the Blues are bidding to progress, as they focus on significant squad improvements.
Pompey boss Mousinho : ‘We’re going to spend as much as possible’
But Mousinho has also sounded a note of realism over where upping transfer spending can take his club, as they operate under new squad cost ratio (SCR) rules.
The new SCR regime limits clubs to spending 85 per cent of their income on squad costs, with an equity top-up of £33m allowed over three years (up to a maximum of £15m per season).
Pompey have significantly upped their transfer spending this summer, with the likes of Marko Milovanović and Rocco Shein set to be joined by Abu Kamara.
Mousinho revealed the club’s financial projections having them close to ‘maxing out’ over the next three years under the new system.
That is a clear statement of intent from the club’s owners over, but the 40-year-old is clear that will still offer challenges up against the Championship’s heavy-hitters.
He said: ‘Sustainability is two-fold. There’s stopping the club facing the situation they faced in the past, which is the ownership stopping putting in money for whatever reason.
‘With clubs there always has to be money owed to people, whether that’s through contracts or whatever. So we’re really reliant on the Eisners putting in money every month and year to cover contracts and outgoings.
‘Then there’s SCR which is sustainability according to the regulations of the league, which has now changed.
‘We can only spend a certain amount as per our revenue, then there’s the equity top-up of £33m over three years and (no more than) £15m in one year.
‘To get a grasp on numbers, the number being projected over the next three years puts up pretty close to maxing out.
‘We’d be tight on projections for the next couple of years, which means we’re going to spend as much as possible.
‘We just have to remember as a football club we can spend a percentage of our revenue and top up like every club.
‘So we’re competing in a very difficult landscape - if the owners wanted to all of a sudden spend an extra £200m they couldn’t do it.
‘My very basic take on it is the owners here will spend as much as possible, that will still leave us in a very difficult spot in terms of how we compete in the league.
‘I hope that gives everyone a bit of assurance in terms of what we’re trying to do.
‘So we’re willing to spend, limited in what we can spend and in a market where we have some very big hitters around us.’
Pompey have recruited six players this summer, with Milovanović the big capture at an initial €3.5m with €1.5m in add-ons.
Shein cost north of £2m with Kamara commanding a fee of around £2.5m to arrive back at PO4 from Hull.
Daniel Bielica cost north of £500,000, with Eoin Kenny and Luke Brooke-Smith commanding fees. Odin Bailey joined on a free transfer after leaving Stockport County.