Jack Compton will become the first player to leave Pompey in January but boss Guy Whittingham has assured fans: We have replacements in mind.
The 24-year-old has agreed a deal with Colchester United after being deemed surplus to requirements at Fratton.
Josh Thompson is also set to pen a permanent deal with Pompey’s League One rivals.
Meanwhile, Jake Jervis was yesterday recalled from loan by parent club Birmingham City – as boss Lee Clark wrestles with an injury crisis.
But Whittingham insisted he is in the dark over reports Izale McLeod is a target for Swindon.
And he assured the Fratton faithful he is already working on replacements for those who are departing.
‘It’s something that will be happening with Jack and Colchester,’ said the caretaker boss.
‘We’ve got replacements in mind, so we will have to wait and see how that pans out.
‘I can’t mention any names yet but I’m hopeful something will happen there.
‘Jack wasn’t part of the plans here.
‘To be fair to him, he’s been frustrated and if he’s got a chance to go somewhere else to get games, then I’m not going to stop him.
‘He’s going there this week and I believe they have offered him a contract.’
Compton made 13 appearances for the Blues – six as a substitute – after Michael Appleton signed him on a free transfer during the summer.
He only featured twice from the bench under Whittingham, though, and his exit will open up valuable space in the 20-man squad.
Whittingham has no cash to splash but he will now have to delve into the market for a loan or free transfer signing.
After starting the season in the first team, Compton had slipped way down the pecking order and his loss will not affect the first team too much.
But there are fears he could be the first of several players to leave with most of the existing squad on short-term deals that expire in January.
McLeod’s 11 goals this term will have brought him to the attention of other clubs.
But Whittingham insists he has not heard of any interest from his former Sheffield Wednesday team-mate Paolo Di Canio at Swindon.
However, the Blues boss is aware there is little he can do to prevent his players from leaving as the club waits for a High Court hearing in January to decide its future.
‘I have not heard anything about that,’ he said.
‘You’d expect a few clubs to be interested in Izale because he’s scored 11 goals.
‘He’s got a good goalscoring record in the division.
‘It’s out of my hands because his contract is up in January.
‘But he has not mentioned anything to me.
‘I can’t call it whether he will stay or whether anyone else will stay. The most important date to us is January 15, so we have to wait for then.
‘On a day to day basis, we don’t really know how it’s going to be.’
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