Pompey boss wants two more arrivals in January

However, he believes there must be further departures before he can continue to recruit.

The Blues last week snapped up Connor Ronan and Sylvain Leslandes on loan from Wolves for the remainder of the campaign.

Leslandes solves the left-back problem, particularly with Brandon Haunstrup out with a knee injury, while Ronan can operate as a number 10.

But the Blues are short in the central-midfield area following Danny Rose’s season-ending injury, while Jackett would like the option of pace up front. And he is still searching for new faces.

He said: ‘Every manager would be looking for another two – and I definitely will be looking through January.

‘Although, I still feel probably players must go out before we bring anyone in.

‘We will see about the centre of midfield, a lot depends how Stuart O’Keefe responds in terms of this week.

‘We do need him back and somebody else to compete in that area with Close and May, but he won’t be in the 18 against Chelsea under-21s tonight, unfortunately.

‘Hopefully, we can get him outside and training by the end of the week. He’s close to it and we are hopeful in the next few days he can progress and get back in the group.

‘Up front, Kal Naismith coming back from injury will hopefully give us something.

‘I don’t think we’ll be as busy in this transfer window as we were the last, the group we have must keep improving and progressing.

‘We do respond to different situations. At the moment we have Danny Rose out for the season and O’Keefe striving to get back, but it does leave us slightly short in that particular area.

‘We have to make provision where we need to.

‘Similarly, in the centre-forward positions, Naismith will help us after his injury and add some competition.

‘We have been playing with Brett Pitman, Oli Hawkins – who has had some flexibility when we’ve had injuries – Conor Chaplin, Kyle Bennett and Naismith’s coming back.

‘Conor Ronan can also play in the right circumstances behind the striker and is very creative.

‘So there are players here, it’s not like we are short in those front areas when we have people fit.’

In recent weeks, Drew Talbot and Curtis Main have departed, while Damien McCrory’s loan has ended.

In addition, Nicke Kabamba has been loaned to Aldershot for the remainder of the campaign.

Although Jackett acknowledges there must still be departures, he doesn’t believe anything is close.

He added: ‘I don’t think big players can leave, I don’t think we’ve got that much leeway in the squad really, it’s not the biggest.

‘I don’t think necessarily there is anybody at the moment on the horizon.’