Portsmouth boss outlines transfer strategy and view on amount of movement ahead of deadline day

And the Pompey boss is anticipating a chaotic deadline day, as he tackles his first deadline day at the Fratton helm.

The window closes at 11pm on Tuesday night, with the Blues looking to be active in the market and a central defender a priority.

Mousinho admitted business could unfold in a number of different ways, with either little action or a flurry of activity.

The 36-year-old stated he’s comfortable with both scenarios, as he laid down his approach to the coming days.

Mousinho said: ‘We want a balance between what we don’t necessarily have and what we do.

‘Numbers are less important.

‘Maybe we bring in none, maybe we bring in four depending on whether we get the right types of people.

‘Additions would be good, because we’d look to strengthen and we’d always look to strengthen in any transfer window.

‘We’re balancing it off all the time in terms of what we can get.

‘But, genuinely, if we couldn’t get anyone in for whatever reason I think we’d be fine.

‘I don’t think that will be the case, but if we did we could go again. If we do then great.

‘It’s also about having options - two, three and four and doing it as much as you can.

‘I think the key is if you don’t get one or two - make sure three is the right fit.

‘Don’t panic and weigh everything up.

‘You have to weigh up if that player will upset what you have in the squad at the moment, versus what they add to it.

‘How much is that player going to player versus not? Will that upset the parent club if it’s a loan?

‘All the things are taken into account and there is no rigid formula. It’s on a case-by-case basis.’

Mousinho may be tackling his first deadline day as a boss, but he explained his time at Oxford has allowed him to be ready for what the coming days throw at him.

He added: ‘I was involved heavily in recruitment at Oxford, which gave me a good insight into how it works and how difficult it is.

‘Without giving anything away, the recruitment list we had going into November was populated in one position by four of five names.

‘In the blink of an eye over a weekend (in the window) they started playing for Premier League sides or scoring for Championship sides or were no longer available.

‘From the outside, people would think what is going on and why aren’t you bringing anyone in?

‘I would think the same as a player, but when you go into the recruitment office you see how difficult it is.

‘Things change. You think a deal is done, then a manager calls, an agent calls or a director of football calls and it’s not done.

‘So the only thing to expect is madness and chaos.

‘The only thing to do is keep your own house in order and be as informed as possible.’