Portsmouth head coach John Mousinho has admitted there is still significant work to be done in the transfer market despite an active summer at Fratton Park.
The Blues begin their 2026/27 campaign against West Ham United in the Carabao Cup on Saturday, with all six of their new signings expected to be part of the travelling squad. However, Mousinho has repeatedly stressed that he wants to add around six more players before the September 1 transfer deadline, while several current squad members will also need to leave to satisfy EFL squad regulations.
One deal nearing completion is the return of Abu Kamara, although Mousinho does not expect any further arrivals before the clash with West Ham. He believes additional reinforcements are essential if Portsmouth are to compete effectively in the Championship this season.
Speaking to The News, Mousinho acknowledged that the transfer market has been challenging, particularly due to the financial strength of rival Championship clubs. While Portsmouth have invested more money this summer than at any point during his tenure, he admitted many competitors continue to outspend them.
He explained that the club has successfully secured its primary targets so far, despite missing out on several higher-value players. Mousinho remains optimistic about completing more deals but admitted that much depends on whether players are willing to join and whether their clubs are prepared to sell.
So far, Portsmouth have signed Odin Bailey, Eoin Kenny, Rocco Shein, Marko Milovanovic, Daniel Bielica and Luke Brooke-Smith. With the exception of Bailey, every arrival required a transfer fee, while Ibane Bowat’s move to Huddersfield Town remains the club’s only outgoing transfer.
Although Pompey have enjoyed their biggest spending spree under owner Michael Eisner, Mousinho acknowledged that the club still cannot compete financially with many of the Championship’s wealthiest sides.
