Hughes Confident in Portsmouth's Rebuild After Challenging Transfer Window
Portsmouth sporting director Richard Hughes believes the club’s revamped squad can carry them forward this season, even after one of the most demanding transfer windows of his time at Fratton Park.
Pompey brought in 12 new faces over the summer, leaning on what Hughes had already admitted was a bigger budget than in previous years. The club pushed hard in the market, with up-front fees for striker Marko Milovanovic and midfielder Rocco Shein surpassing the entire transfer outlay of last summer on their own.
Some of those arrivals have already started to influence things on the pitch. Yet behind the scenes, it was anything but smooth.
"I'm pleased with a lot of the work that's taken place," Hughes told BBC Radio Solent, before lifting the lid on how difficult the market had become at Championship level.
"A big reflection is that it's been one of the more challenging windows that we've had and that's been echoed across the market in terms of the challenges with recruitment to the Championship.
"I'm really looking forward to seeing where the group plays out to be once they get a bit more comfortable with each other and have played a few more games.
"Overall I'm really pleased with the work that we've done and the strength in depth that we've added to the group, I'm optimistic as to where we can go with this squad."
So, optimism about the new blood. Less satisfaction with what they managed to move out.
Outgoings bite as Le Roux deal comes under fire
While Portsmouth flexed their muscle bringing players in, they struggled badly when it came to recouping money for those on the fringes.
Andre Dozzell and Luke Le Roux both walked away from Fratton Park for nothing. In Le Roux’s case, that stings. The South Africa midfielder only arrived last year for a £1m fee and began this season in the side, but he soon slipped down John Mousinho’s pecking order and finished with just 14 league appearances.
At the start of September, the club announced they had reached a mutual agreement to terminate his contract. Dozzell headed to MLS with DC United earlier in the summer, while this week Le Roux secured a move to Belgian top-flight outfit Cercle Brugge.
Hughes did not dodge the criticism.
"With Luke's situation everyone will be right to point criticism towards myself, John and the recruitment department," he admitted.
"It's one we have to take and we have to wear that, it was something that didn't work on our part and it didn't work for Luke on the pitch.
"We wanted to find a permanent solution for him to leave and that didn't present itself, we'll take the learnings from this and make sure that it doesn't happen again."
Portsmouth have spent big, accepted their mistakes, and backed this squad to justify the gamble. The only question now is whether the season will prove Hughes right.
