If you bought your tickets on transfer deadline day, Portsmouth is your club this January.
Late signings, acid questions like: “Will he? No?” legends and frantic Google searches of some players you’ve never heard of.
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Lots of excitement, but is it a good result for the Blues?
The flippant reaction is always to say we’ll know in a few months, but the early signs of business we already know are encouraging. Midfielder Eb Adams has made a stunning impact and is exactly the kind of player Pompey needs in midfield. Milenik Ali is also off to an encouraging start, while Cash Anderson looks to be a useful addition.
All three knew the championship, and so did Jacob Brown. The same cannot be said for Gustavo Cabello and Maddiodi Dia. Dia is the centre-back of the future, Cabello the winger of the here and now. It will be interesting to see how they get along. Nico Schmid is an excellent addition but other recent overseas signings have found life difficult in the Championship.
This window may look different. Richard Hughes says Portsmouth believed they had met their valuation for three signings but that was not the case.
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It is understood Svante Ingolson is reluctant to move from Sheffield Wednesday for personal reasons. Initial valuations for Dundee defender Luke Graham and an unnamed EFL striker are believed to have been met, but the club subsequently demanded more money. In any negotiation you have to have a point of avoidance.
January can be difficult and difficult describes Callum Long’s lengthy move to Preston North End.
John Mousinho was rather brief when asked about Lang this week. It’s not the ten-word departure statement you sometimes see, but it hints at an acrimonious transfer that leaves some wounds to heal.
Pompey’s owners are sticking to their valuation and if Preston doesn’t end up meeting the asking price, there’s a good chance Long will have to head back down the M6 ​​with his tail between his legs.
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With sales in excess of £2 million, and possibly more add-ons to come, it feels like good business.
Long impressed at Pompey in his first year at the club but has made just 11 appearances since suffering a hamstring injury in mid-February last year.
Portsmouth’s league table looks much better than it did a month ago and the team is significantly stronger.
If they can maintain their current level of performance and finally get a little luck with the injuries, they should be able to secure their title status for another year.
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