Catlin's warning to Pompey over transfers

POMPEY will have to alter their transfer tactics this summer.
Former Pompey loanee Marc McNulty Picture: Joe PeplerFormer Pompey loanee Marc McNulty Picture: Joe Pepler
Former Pompey loanee Marc McNulty Picture: Joe Pepler

Mark Catlin warned the Blues will have to be more ‘strategic’ in the way they go about their business when it comes to signings.

That’s after the scrapping of the emergency loan window, which comes into play next season.

Pompey currently have a first-team squad of 23 players.

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That includes transfer-listed trio Adam McGurk, Matt Tubbs and Kal Naismith, along with youngsters Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain, Calvin Davies and Alex Bass.

Fifa have called an end to emergency loans to protect the ‘sporting integrity of competitions’.

The likes of Ryan Allsop, Aaron McCarey, Caolan Lavery and top goalscorer Marc McNulty were recruited on emergency loans last term.

The Blues will have to do all of their recruiting by the time the summer window closes on August 31 – until January 1.

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Catlin believes Pompey have the advantage of having the nucleus of a squad already in place under Cook.

But the chief executive knows there has to be shrewdness about the way the Blues conduct their work.

Catlin said: ‘If you look at the team contracted to us for next season, with a few additions, even a couple of additions, we’re not far away.

‘This year is slightly different, though, because there is no emergency loan.

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‘So we have to slightly have an eye on it strategically that we have some depth in the squad.

‘We have to be able to take injuries and suspensions as the season approaches.

‘It’s not like previous seasons when you can just dip and out of the emergency loan market. You can’t do that any more.’

– JORDAN CROSS