The Blues boss remains open to the creation of an under-21 side at Fratton Park, thereby enhancing the pathway for Academy youngsters into the first-team.
In recent years, Pompey have struggled to bring through youth players to represent the Blues, with even the highly-regarded Toby Steward still to make his senior debut.
It’s a growing concern Mousinho acknowledges, although the head coach is adamant that should any Academy player be talented enough, he wouldn’t hesitate fielding him in Pompey’s first-team.
In terms of a development group, investment would be required, with the Blues currently possessing a Category 3 Academy set-up.
However, with the Blues still fighting to remain in the Championship at present, Mousinho is adamant focus should be prioritised on stabilising the first-team at this level rather than on a potential under-21 team.
He told The News: ‘We would love a development group, but there are some things we need to prioritise first – and that is the establishment of where we are with the first-team.
‘We are looking to expand in terms of where we are on the training ground. If we got a development group then they wouldn’t have anywhere to train right now. That is something we would want to look at.
‘We want to make sure we get all those things right at first-team level before we actually take any steps to do anything. In an ideal world, yes that would be great, but there are a lot of considerations at present.
‘If you have a development group or a side which enters the under-21 league, for any players not quite ready to come and impact games at first-team level, there’s a chance they will want to come to us rather than going elsewhere to other under-21s programmes.
‘Also, players coming back from injuries can play those games. Or those coming back into fitness, we can dip players in and out, there are loads of advantages to it.
‘But, at the same time, where we do have is a big advantage as a football club at the moment is we don’t have that group.
‘We can bring in players who we know are here to actually play in the first-team – and that’s a big attraction for a lot of youngsters. We don’t have the option to put them into an under-21 side.
If you are signing as a young lad, if you’re good enough then you are going to play for Pompey. Which is a real attraction as well, as we are now.’
‘The only thing we need to think about’
The Blues are presently seven points above the Championship relegation zone with seven matches remaining.
It’s an encouraging position recently bolstered by last weekend’s 1-0 victory over Blackburn, courtesy of Josh Murphy’s first-half strike.
But Mousinho insists there is still plenty of work to be done this season and beyond before Pompey can claim to be established in the Championship.
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