'The most important thing': Portsmouth boss targets crucial position to strengthen in January transfer window

That’s the admission of the Blues’ head coach as he targets bolstering his side in the transfer window to boost Championship survival hopes.

Centre-half options have been devastated by the long-term absences of Conor Shaughnessy and summer recruit Ibane Bowatt.

In addition, Regan Poole has been feeling his way back from more than 10 months out injured, Tom McIntyre has struggled for consistency and Ryley Towler has never played at this level previously.

As a consequence, skipper Marlon Pack has been employed as a makeshift centre-half, with right-back Jordan Williams also serving there earlier in the campaign.

And Mousinho is making no secret of one of the positions in urgent need of strengthening when the window opens next month.

He told The News: ‘We want someone who is quick, strong, can head the ball, can handle the ball as well, is a good leader, and has played loads of games in the Championship or the Premier League. That would be ideal.

‘Whenever you are looking to recruit any player, you look at all these different attributes in terms of what you can get.

‘The position we are in - and the position every club in this league is in - is that we aren’t Manchester City, we can’t just go and pick the best player out in the world, we have to take good players who are available.

‘Whether it’s an experienced player, a young player, someone whose attributes really suit one thing, we have to be realistic about what we can get.

‘The overall attribute is a player who is going to come in and affect the starting XI, that’s the most important thing for us. Straight into the first-team, but, if not for whatever reason, certainly have that capability to do that.

‘There’s a difference between that and bringing in someone as a centre-half in January who we are looking to develop long-term.’

With Poole a doubt for Coventry’s visit on Saturday, Mousinho will choose between Pack, McIntyre and Towler for his two centre-half positions.

Meanwhile, Shaughnessy is pencilled in for a January return after just two appearances this season following calf problems.

Mousinho added: ‘There are a few around who we can sign. You still have a lot of football to play between now and the window and, over the next couple of weeks, things start to develop

‘You will see players that are maybe available for loan or players that haven’t got a huge amount of minutes at their respective levels. We are pretty confident on our list at the moment.

‘I don’t know whether it would be a loan, there are options for loans and permanents in the centre-half market.’