Portsmouth’s sporting director, Richard Hughes, has expressed strong confidence in retaining manager John Mousinho over the summer.
The 40-year-old coach successfully guided Pompey to safety in the Championship for the second consecutive season, finishing 18th after winning four of their last six matches.
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Mousinho signed a new two-year contract in September 2024, but has recently attracted interest from various clubs, including Bristol City, who have since hired former Lincoln coach Michael Skubala.
“We’re really confident we can keep Mousinho,” Hughes stated during an interview with BBC Radio Solent.
“It’s a natural outcome of having an exceptionally talented head coach who is also a great person. Naturally, there will be interest in him.”
“We’ve maintained clarity throughout this process. Our goal as a football club is to align our ambitions with the remarkable talents of our staff and players.”
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“If we can demonstrate a commitment to improving every year, we can show John our ambition.”
“It’s not surprising to anyone associated with the club that John is linked with other opportunities, given his impressive work over the past three and a half years.”
Hughes assured that no official offers for Mousinho have been received, aiming to clarify the situation amidst various online speculations. He also mentioned that the board has approved an increased budget for the upcoming season.
“We believe we’ve reached a great position regarding our growth strategy and the path to success for this club,” added Hughes.
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“It’s an exciting time for us as we look to bring in new players this summer to enhance our squad and improve our points tally from last year.”
Pompey finished the 2025-26 season just a point above their previous total after bouncing back from League One, although they ended up in 18th place, two slots lower than before.
Next season, they’ll face stiff competition in the Championship, including relegated Premier League teams like West Ham, Burnley, and Wolves, along with newly promoted League One sides Cardiff, Bolton, and Lincoln.
“We recognize that with the new teams entering the Championship, the competition will become more challenging,” Hughes remarked.
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“We’re at a disadvantage against clubs with parachute payments, as well as teams like Middlesbrough who just missed out in the playoffs.”
“There’s a lot of financial competition, but we are confident in our ability to compete with teams in the lower half of the Championship while articulating our vision effectively.”
“We need to grow and reach a competitive standard, and we believe we can achieve that. If our recruitment is on point, we’ll be in a stronger position than we were last year.”