Danny Cowley offers hope to Sheffield Wednesday, Oxford United, Blackburn and Cardiff after admitting he expects double Portsmouth exit

Although Pompey’s head coach insists squad strengthening is not dictated by a player firstly departing.

Ellis Harrison is attracting interest from Sheffield Wednesday and Oxford United, while Ronan Curtis has long been monitored by Championship clubs including Cardiff and Blackburn.

In addition, Cowley concedes he anticipates Championship admirers to also step forward for Marcus Harness before the month’s end.

The Blues have so far recruited 12 players this summer and are presently second in League One after a maximum points haul from the opening two games.

But there could well be more Fratton Park activity in the final fortnight of the transfer window.

He told The News: ‘There’s some interest in a couple of ours and we’re just waiting to see how that all unfolds.

‘It can be quite fluid, but we have a budget to work to. We don't necessarily have to wait for one to go out in order to get one in.

‘We want to get two or three in, we need them. Of those, two will be loans, with a third if we can afford it.

‘That’s in an ideal world, but we are going to try our best and make as much progress as we can. For us to be consistent in this division, we need three new players.

‘Not everyone has to leave, maybe one or two. It’s not a perfect science, what we need and what we want, and what should happen and could happen and might happen.

‘You usually haven’t got control of it all, so we’ll just see.

‘We are hoping for something (an arrival) this week, but there’s nothing imminent.’

Joe Morrell and Louis Thompson joined last week to bolster midfield areas.

Cowley remains intent on also capturing another striker, while he is keen on recruiting somebody to operate in the number 10 role.

He added: ‘The squad is coming together, but there is still a lot to do. I’m not getting ahead of myself at all.

‘I think we played all right on Saturday. We played with an energy and intensity that I liked, and I liked having the supporters back, definitely, they are like a new signing to me.

‘But there’s still a lot to do.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

The News has launched a subscription offer which gives you unlimited access to all of our Pompey coverage, starting at less than 14p a day.

You can subscribe here to get the latest news from Fratton Park - and to support our local team of expert Pompey writers.