Exclusive:Portsmouth open door to late transfer curveball at window’s climax
Last year the chance to sign Conor Chaplin arose at the 11th hour - an opportunity Pompey reacted to at short notice amid excitement. John Mousinho reveals the chances of a similar response, in the event of a repeat at the transfer window’s climax.
Pompey are ready to pounce for any late transfer window surprises which arise.
John Mousinho has confirmed there’s space in the playing budget for any recruitment curveballs which surface, before the close of summer trading.
Mousinho on a late curveball signing: ‘Certainly on budget there’s flexibility.’
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And the Blues head coach insisted there’s also the leeway to go to the board, if any business requires pushing the financial parameters at PO4.
We are now in the final days of business, with Pompey landing their 10th addition in Iyad Mohamed yesterday and ploughing forward with further deals.
At a similar stage 12 months ago, Conor Chaplin made an unexpected and much-trumpeted homecoming in unlikely circumstances from Ipswich Town.
Mousinho made it clear there could be a repeat of a scenario which created excitement back then, if the opportunity presents itself.
The Pompey boss told The News: 'There is (leeway to bring in an unexpected arrival in a late opportunity arises).
'There’s two things. It has to work within the squad numbers - and on the budget we’re in a good spot. Certainly on budget there’s a bit of flexibility.
'We’ve spent significantly on fees, but there’s a little bit still in terms of wages.
'We’re still looking to remain flexible in terms of players leaving and then seeing what crops up.
'Chappers happened late in the window and we have the option within the SCR regulations to go to the board.
'Chappers was an example of us doing that outside of what we were looking to do. We had Swifty, Langy and Segs in the building as 10s but Chappers became available, so we decided to do it as an extra attacking option.
'We thought that wise and prudent. It turned out to be wise and successful, in my opinion, because he played a lot of football and we stayed in the league - which was the remit.
'So if we can do that, we’ll definitely do that.
'We’ve probably been a bit more defined in terms of what we’ve got and what we can spend, because of that stability of being in the third year in the Championship.
'But I still think there’s that flexibility to put that case to the board. The worst they can do is say no - but they rarely do.’