It promises to be a pivotal summer of recruitment at Fratton Park, yet Hughes boasts an impressive CV from his time at Forest Green Rovers, overseeing the signing of a number of quality performers.
Having previously been head of recruitment at Rovers, he became director of football in October 2019 – where he remained until October 2023 before joining the Blues.
Here are his top-five recruits at Forest Green in that period, in no particular order, with four of which going on to represent Championship clubs, reflecting his good eye for a player...
5. Jamille Matt
Those Pompey fans with long memories will recall Matt’s headbutt on Michael Doyle which went unpunished in the 2015-16 League Two play-off semi-final against Plymouth. However, by the summer of 2020 he was a free agent after being released by Newport Count, following subsequent spells at Blackpool and Grimsby. The 30-year-old was recruited by Rovers and would total 39 goals in 109 outings over the next two-and-a-half years as he proved to be a revelation in his new surroundings. Matt was shortlisted as the EFL’s League Two Player Of The Season for 2020-21, while was handed the captaincy for 2021-22 as they won promotion from League Two. In January 2023, he was sold to Walsall for an undisclosed fee and has since scored twice in 13 appearances for the League Two side. Picture: Pete Norton/Getty Images Photo: Pete Norton