Portsmouth sporting director Richard Hughes has described the summer transfer window as "one of the more challenging" he has overseen at the club, even as he expressed optimism about the squad that has been assembled ahead of the Championship campaign.

A bigger budget, but a tougher market

Speaking to BBC Radio Solent, Hughes confirmed that Portsmouth operated with a higher transfer budget this summer than in previous windows. Twelve new players arrived at Fratton Park, with up-front fees for striker Marko Milovanovic and midfielder Rocco Shein alone surpassing the club's entire transfer spend from the previous summer.

"I'm pleased with a lot of the work that's taken place," Hughes said. "A big reflection is that it's been one of the more challenging windows that we've had and that's been echoed across the market in terms of the challenges with recruitment to the Championship."

Several of the new arrivals have already made a positive impression on the pitch, and Hughes suggested the group has more to give once they have settled into John Mousinho's system. "I'm really looking forward to seeing where the group plays out to be once they get a bit more comfortable with each other and have played a few more games," he added. "Overall I'm really pleased with the work that we've done and the strength in depth that we've added to the group. I'm optimistic as to where we can go with this squad."

Departures that did not go to plan

Despite the positive tone on incomings, Hughes was candid about the difficulties Portsmouth encountered on the other side of the ledger. The club were unable to secure fees for several players deemed surplus to requirements, with both Andre Dozzell and Luke Le Roux departing Fratton Park without a transfer fee attached.

Dozzell left earlier in the summer to join MLS club DC United, while Le Roux this week completed a move to Belgian top-flight side Cercle Brugge. The South Africa international had arrived at Portsmouth just last year, with the club reported to have paid £1m to bring him in. He made only 14 league appearances before appearing to fall out of Mousinho's plans, and a mutual termination of his contract was announced at the start of September.

Hughes did not attempt to deflect blame. "With Luke's situation everyone will be right to point criticism towards myself, John and the recruitment department," he said. "It's one we have to take and we have to wear that. It was something that didn't work on our part and it didn't work for Luke on the pitch. We wanted to find a permanent solution for him to leave and that didn't present itself. We'll take the learnings from this and make sure that it doesn't happen again."

What it means for Pompey's season

The frank assessment from Hughes is notable for its balance. On one hand, Portsmouth have invested meaningfully in the squad and the early signs from some of the arrivals have been encouraging. On the other hand, the inability to recoup fees on outgoing players represents a financial shortfall that the club will want to avoid repeating.

For a Championship side still establishing themselves at this level, the margin for error in recruitment is slim. The Le Roux episode in particular, where a seven-figure outlay yielded just 14 league appearances before a free exit, is the kind of costly miss that can shape transfer policy for years.

With a run of demanding fixtures ahead, Mousinho will be hoping the new arrivals bed in quickly. Hughes, for his part, appears to believe the squad has the quality to respond. Whether the optimism he is projecting translates into points on the board remains the real test.

Frequently asked

How many players did Portsmouth sign in the summer transfer window?
Portsmouth brought in 12 new players during the summer window, operating with what sporting director Richard Hughes described as a higher budget than in previous years.
Why did Luke Le Roux leave Portsmouth for free?
Portsmouth and Le Roux reached a mutual agreement to terminate his contract after the South Africa midfielder made only 14 league appearances and fell down the pecking order under manager John Mousinho. The club had paid around £1m to sign him the previous year but were unable to secure a fee when he left.
Where did Luke Le Roux go after leaving Portsmouth?
Le Roux joined Belgian top-flight side Cercle Brugge after his contract with Portsmouth was mutually terminated in September.