Danny Cowley addresses Reeco Hackett's Portsmouth future after eye-catching Doncaster display

The Blues head coach is eager to extend the former Bromley man’s Fratton Park stay – and is eyeing activating a club clause to retain him for an additional 12 months.

Alternatively, they could offer a fresh deal, thereby tying him to Pompey for considerably longer.

Regardless, Hackett earned a recall against Doncaster on Saturday following three matches on the bench.

Operating at left wing-back, he responded with a goal and an assist in Pompey’s 4-0 triumph.

And afterwards, Cowley made it clear he intends to keep the 24-year-old beyond the summer expiry of his Fratton deal.

He told The News: ‘He’s a good player. There's an option, we definitely want to keep Reeco.

‘He’s a talent, he forced his way into the team with the way he trained on Thursday and Friday.

‘Connor Ogilvie is one of our best five players, he has every reason to moan (not being in the team) and I would be disappointed.

‘It was to freshen us up in a three-game week, but he can come and knock on my door, I understand that.

‘If you are not one of the best five players, it comes down to opinion and me and Reeco had a good conversation on Tuesday.

‘Then on Thursday and Friday he did his talking with his boots on and trained really well. I pick what I see.

‘There’s an option with his contract, so it’s on our terms. We would like to keep him, for sure.’

Hackett opened the scoring in the 56th minute when he headed home Marcus Harness’ cross.

George Hirst and substitute Aiden O’Brien also netted, before Sean Raggett headed home Hackett’s free-kick in stoppage time.

Cowley added: ‘Reeco has been working on his heading, he got on the back post and scored, what a cross from Marcus too.

‘It is something he has to keep working on, they have all got to keep adding to their games.

‘It was also a really good cross from Reeco for Rags’ header from the set-piece.

‘What was great, he went from right wing-back to left wing-back and that’s the great thing about this system.

‘People think three at the back means we have an extra defender, we don’t really see it like that. We think three at the back is one less defender, when you normally play four.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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