Latest: Portsmouth transfer development as summer strategy takes shape

Pompey are preparing to weight their summer transfer recruitment towards overseas markets.

The News understands the Blues will look to the continent and beyond to conduct a significant portion of their business in the coming months, as John Mousinho looks to bolster his squad.

It promises to be another busy period of signing activity when the transfer window opens for Pompey next month.

The EFL has now confirmed there will be a 10-day period of business from June 1 until 7pm on June 10, mirroring FIFA’s ‘exceptional registration period’ due to the expanded Club World Cup.

The indications are the volume of activity will not reach the 14 signings made in each of the previous summer windows under sporting director Rich Hughes and Mousinho.

But there is still a healthy volume of business in the pipeline, with free transfers, loans, and more significant fees than previously seen potentially available to be spent.

Pompey sees the best value for their money coming overseas, with their European scouting being ramped up in recent windows.

Nico Schmid’s 400,000 Euro capture from Austrian side BW Linz has been a spectacular success, though Dane Elias Sorensen failed to spark after joining from Esbjerg as cover for Colby Bishop.

Meanwhile, Abdoulaye Kamara has struggled since joining from Borussia Dortmund, but Terry Devlin has been a huge hit since joining from Northern Ireland outfit Glentoran in 2023.

There is once again plenty of work being done on that front, with Championship rivals Preston North End perhaps an example of the kind of business Pompey could replicate.

Preston’s ‘success’ potential Pompey blueprint

Mousinho has pinpointed how the Lilywhites have enjoyed a ‘lot of success’ bringing in European players, paying between £700,000 and £2m in doing so.

Pompey have become associated with their work signing Australian players in recent windows, with that another avenue they could once again explore.

Kusini Yengi, Thomas Waddingham. Hayden Matthews and Jacob Farrell have been recruited from the A-League, while Sammy Silvera was scouted there before later joining on loan from Middlesbrough.

Pompey have utilized relaxed Home Office rules over signing players to good effect since the changes came into play in 2023.

Championship clubs have been able to sign up to four players who don’t hit the Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) threshold, as long as they have enough English players.

The Elite Significant Contribution (ESC) visa has been utilized to good effect, signing the likes of Schmid, Kamara, Matthews, and Farrell, with some players transitioning to full GBE status – consequently freeing up spaces to sign others in such a manner.

Pompey are not completely shutting the door on the domestic market, however, and have been watching Crystal Palace teen star Hindolo Mustapha with a view to a possible loan deal.