Largest transfer fee that we will pay this summer?

[Blue Walter]

I see Pompey approaching the coming season much the same as they did in the earlier League One seasons. I think there will be a similar 'marking time' for a period by assembling a squad to keep us in touch with the rest of the league. We are not ready for promotion, on and off the pitch, with more work needed on the ground and the infrastructure surrounding it. So I think we will be looking at players capable of playing at this level but also players with potential that can grow with the club, which will mean players coming from below this level. We will need to bring in Championship players with experience as well but I don't expect us to go for real 'stars' of the Championship costing a lot of money. That could change, of course, if players like Robertson or Anjorin become available to buy, then I would expect the club to delve a fair bit deeper into transfer funds.

I would think the club will need to establish themselves at this level before thinking more ambitiously, which was a similar approach in League One. The difference this time is, in my opinion, we can't afford to sell our best players to fund our transfer kitty as we need to keep the best we have got.

[jam tomorrow]

I don’t want to start the bed wetting but l hope we can get some transfers done pdq. We have just over three weeks left until the season starts. The sooner we get new players training with us the better. It will be interesting to see where Oxford United will finish compared to us with their early transfer dealings?

agree, I take some comfort though that if Anjorin and Robertson return (as the club clearly want) then both know what Mousinho wants and how the team plays so its not as if they are coming in and have to then allign with a new manager and an unknown style of play

Unless we are going to pay a transfer fee for Robbo and Tino they will be loans. So in theory loans will follow the players we pay fees for, so we are still waiting for those to appear.These are the players we want in earlier let’s hope this happens in the next few days.

[jam tomorrow]

Apparently someone in the know has confirmed we have made offers for contracted players but they are not sufficient for the parent club to accept them also the wage demands have been too high for our budgets. So we are going back to the drawing board for 2nd and 3 rd choice players hope this decision doesn't amount to our downfall this season? We will also be behind other clubs who are probably ahead of us in selecting their players.

[Pompey55]

Apparently someone in the know has confirmed we have made offers for contracted players but they are not sufficient for the parent club to accept them also the wage demands have been too high for our budgets. So we are going back to the drawing board for 2nd and 3 rd choice players hope this decision doesn't amount to our downfall this season? We will also be behind other clubs who are probably ahead of us in selecting their players.

I do hope that this state of things is not the case as surely Hughes and co. would have done their homework with regard to the fees and wages expected at this level rather than last season
Despite our mainly successful recruitment they were recruiting at a level they had experienced at their previous clubs I wonder if lack of experience with recruitment at this level has led to unrealistic expectations as to fees and wages
Or maybe the someone in the know actually has no idea what the state of play is and it's pure speculation as I sure the owners would back the necessary expenditure
At the moment I am inclined to believe the latter until we see what comes through the door by 10 August

[jam tomorrow]

Apparently someone in the know has confirmed we have made offers for contracted players but they are not sufficient for the parent club to accept them also the wage demands have been too high for our budgets. So we are going back to the drawing board for 2nd and 3 rd choice players hope this decision doesn't amount to our downfall this season? We will also be behind other clubs who are probably ahead of us in selecting their players.

I do hope that this state of things is not the case as surely Hughes and co. would have done their homework with regard to the fees and wages expected at this level rather than last season
Despite our mainly successful recruitment they were recruiting at a level they had experienced at their previous clubs I wonder if lack of experience with recruitment at this level has led to unrealistic expectations as to fees and wages
Or maybe the someone in the know actually has no idea what the state of play is and it's pure speculation as I sure the owners would back the necessary expenditure
At the moment I am inclined to believe the latter until we see what comes through the door by 10 August

I am inclined to agree with you 55 I am just passing this info on, I would be just as disappointed as you if this is really the case. I can’t believe that all the preparation work that Hughes has been doing amounts to this situation.

[PeteM]

The evidence of previous seasons under this current setup suggests that we'll look to target realistic signings for the level we are at (whether loans or permanent signings). It may also be that we've made initial offers to clubs for players we are interested in but those clubs haven't accepted the initial offer - that's pretty standard from both parties as a negotiating tactic, but it does mean it's sort of possible that both things mentioned above can be true. I do also expect we have multiple targets for each position and that can also be used as a tactic on our part to call the selling side's bluff sometimes.

I'm pretty convinced for now that if the club believes they have identified the right player to make a difference that the funds will be forthcoming but I guess we'll see what happens by the time the window shuts.

[Mickemo]

the transfer targets at this stage are said to be:

3rd choice GK
Centre Half (back up)
Central Midfield (first team)
No.10 (first team)

We shouldn't be spending a large sum of money or at all in my view on a 3rd choice GK. Archer was given a two year contract and you'd think the club will extend Norris so there is no clear pathway for a 3rd choice to affect the first team. Steward is being developed as a first team player of the future. So I am expecting a free transfer - perhaps of an older experienced championship level keeper who can come in as 3rd choice and as a mentor type player.

Likewise at centre half, the need is for cover on the right side to back up Shaughnessy until Regan Poole is fully fit (presuming that the opening day pair is Shaughnessy and McIntyre). Jamal Baptiste is on trial and is available as a free and would fit the bill of a younger right sided football playing centre half that the club can develop as 4th choice centre half during this season and this may then let Towler be released on loan to say L1 for the season or until January at least. Signing Baptiste on a free would clearly not involve Pompey spending at all and if Baptiste doesn't work out then I expect a Towler type signing of a young centre half from a Premier league/Champ level u23 level that the club likes but again without spending a lot of money on someone that is primarily for squad depth and development next season.

Central midfield is a pretty weak area imho for Pompey right now. Pack, Moxon, Lowery, Stephenson is not going to get it done in the Championship. Branaghan at Oxford is in his last year and could be available for the right fee but would Oxford sell him to Pompey? Would Man City sell or only loan Robertson to Pompey? A fee for him would, you'd expect, be above the Marquis recent record signing fee. Perhaps Chelsea would sell Anjorin to Pompey too and again I could see that fee being £750,000 or above. I believe the club feels that Robertson and Anjorin are likely to come back this season - lets say both on loan at this stage - and both would add to the midfield but I still think Pompey could buy one or maybe two players for this area of the pitch. They could then look to loan or sell Stephenson to a L1 side.

No.10 - Pompey have players who can play in this position: Saydee and Lang and Anjorin would seem to be a good fit there too (I see Robertson as a 6 or 8 and not a 10 right now) but if there was a player that Pompey had in mind for this position then quality proven players who can play as a 10 and still undertake their defensive duties - cost real money.

As I have written elsewhere Nisbett left Central Coast Mariners in Australia to join an overseas team and he is the current Australian league player of the year. He is available on a free and he would fit into that no.10 role since last year he had 16 assists. He has just broken into Australia's national team. He could be a very good free transfer for Pompey.

I think therefore that Pompey are going to be looking to spend up to £1.5m on ideally two players: A central midfielder and an attacking no.10. If they have earmarked Anjorin as a loan signing or can sign 'Nizzy' for the no.10 role then the rest of the budget can go on a top quality central midfielder.

Agree with you re Josh Nisbet, fine player who's had to do it the hard way due to his lack of height. Another Aussie midfielder who I'd be very surprised if he doesn't make a move very soon is Australian under 23 international Jake Hollman, can play anywhere in central midfield like Nisbet.

Was linked to a Danish club earlier this month but that has gone quiet since. In my opinion a quality player who can handle the Championship.

Good tip off, I don’t know much about Holman so will do a bit of research on him.

I liked what I saw of Nisbet ability wise however 5” 3 maybe an issue….that said it never stopped Messi did it
(noting he is taller than 5” 3)

[Pompey1984+1]

I think we will spend some money, but I don't expect us to sign names, or many established championship players - there just isn't value there.

We seem to have identified Australia as a place where good players are cheaper and therefore represent better value.

My read isn't because there isn't money, but we don't want to waste it.