Portsmouth boss reveals transfer picture as optimism grows over business quickening

And the Blues boss admitted his side will need to be more patient to land the players they feel can make a difference in the second tier.

But The News understands there’s optimism growing over business quickening, with the window up and running.

Pompey landed their first summer signing of the summer last week, with Jordan Williams arriving after leaving Barnsley.

There’s confidence from within Fratton Park of a steady stream of deals getting over the line, but Mousinho explained it’s a fierce battle to complete moves.

He said: ‘I think it’s competitive, that’s how I’d put it.

‘There’s a lot of clubs in the Championship who have established Championship credentials, then there’s Premier League clubs coming down with parachute payments.

‘That changes the landscape, in terms of what we’re competing with this year.

‘So that means that we have to be competitive as well - and we feel that we are this. That’s not just financially, but in terms of club size and what we can offer players coming in.

‘Part of it is upgrading facilities and making them Championship facilities.

‘It’s making sure we demonstrate to players what the club’s ambitions are, but the overall landscape is competitive.’

It’s been a relatively slow start to the transfer window in terms of the volume of action at Championship level. Mousinho puts that down to a mix of players waiting on making calls over their futures and the European Championships taking place.

He added: ‘The better players are waiting to make decisions.

‘That’s absolutely fine and probably why it’s been a bit of a slower market this year combined with the Euros.

‘That seems to delay things, because there’s a knock-on effect from what Premier League clubs are willing to do with players reporting back later.

‘All of those factors means it may be a bit slower than it was last year.’