Danny Cowley admits Portsmouth may cash in prized playing assets to boost summer spending power

Although the head coach is adamant only ‘significant offers’ would tempt the financially-secure Blues to do business.

Owners Tornante have assured Cowley that money earned through player sales can be spent on a Pompey squad requiring a hefty rebuild.

That puts the spotlight on Ronan Curtis who is comfortably the club’s most bankable player and continuing to attract Championship interest.

With 40 goals in 142 appearances, there will be takers this summer for a player who has caught the eye of Cardiff, Blackburn and Reading in the past.

Cowley would not be drawn on the individuals he believes would fetch necessary fees to provide a welcome war chest.

Yet he is willing to cash in for the benefit of Pompey ambition.

Cowley told The News: ‘There are definitely some assets within the group. We wouldn’t want to lose those assets, but, ultimately at this level, everybody has a price.

‘We have players who can play in the Championship and, as a consequence, there might be interest from Championship clubs.

‘I wouldn’t want to talk for Michael (Eisner) and the owners – that’s not my place to do so – but certainly we are led to believe we can spend whatever we sell.

‘We have to try to create some money to be able to do exactly what we want to do with this squad, but we have a process in place.

‘We have a number of assets and the great thing is the players want to be here and we want those players – so that puts us in a really powerful position.

‘If clubs come in, they are going to have to offer us really good money, because we are not a club that needs the finance to survive.

‘I would imagine there are other clubs relying on transfer fees this summer just to survive and pay their staff this period.

‘Ultimately, every Championship, League One, League Two and National League player has a value. You’d be talking emotionally if you said anything different.

‘Some players you definitely don’t want to lose and we value them really highly. It would have to be a significant offer for them to be prised away from us.

‘But if that offer was met then we have to make intelligent and emotional decisions.’

An ‘eat what you kill’ policy was also in operation during Kenny Jackett’s time at Fratton Park.

He was able to spend money raised from the sales of Matt Clarke, Jamal Lowe and Conor Chaplin, in particular.

In the summer of 2019, he laid out around £2.5m to bring in John Marquis (£1m), Ellis Harrison (£425,000) and Marcus Harness (£800,000).

He added: ‘We would like to achieve the squad we want in transfer window one.

‘We know that is pretty difficult and almost impossible, so it has to be work in progress.

‘That’s why we might need two or three windows to be able to get this squad exactly where we want it.

‘Although our aim and focus has to be to accelerate the process because, let’s be honest, it’s football and no-one wants to wait.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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