DETAILED: How vast Danny Cowley’s Portsmouth recruitment will now be this summer

Now with the transfer window open, it realistically appears as if his recruitment could stretch to double that number before the close of play on September 1,

Most Blues fans would settle for seeing one new face right now, as the wait for business to accelerate continues.

But an assessment of how things currently stand, and are likely to develop over the coming weeks, points to Cowley’s initial assessment being well shy of how things will pan out.

Firstly, let’s just define what is needed at this moment.

With two keepers leaving the club this summer, it’s evident another option will be required between the sticks.

Pompey are actually well stocked in the left-back department with Connor Ogilvie, Denver Hume and Liam Vincent the options.

Ogilvie’s versatility means he doubles as a left-sided central option with Clark Robertson.

If the pathway for Haji Mnoga is another loan, Cowley may well have to find another Ogilvie to cover for Sean Raggett and to compete for the right-back role.

Moving into the middle of the park presents an area of strength. With Ryan Tunnicliffe, Louis Thompson and Joe Morrell in situ there’s a decent amount of experience. Additionally, with Jay Mingi on the fringes and Harry Jewitt-White there’s potential in the engine room.

Cowley would like one more option in that area, though, and that returning Pompey boy would get quite the welcome if it happened.

Out wide, Michael Jacobs, Ronan Curtis, Reeco Hackett, Jayden Reid and third-year scholar Alife Bridgman are contracted, meaning the required bodies are there.

With just young Dan Gifford present, that’s not quite the case up front.

Cowley would like up to four experienced players to call upon there by the time the window closes for business until January 1. Mobile presence and ability to break the lines at pace are the attributes desired.

So that would potentially add seven new faces to the 17 senior players and four youngsters in place.

Depending on how loan potential develops for Mingi, Reid, Mnoga, Jewitt-White and promising keeper Toby Steward that number could decrease, however.

But it’s also clear Cowley will want to replace every player who departs.

Kieron Freeman is a wanted man elsewhere as is Ronan Curtis, while Marcus Harness remains Pompey’s prized asset with admiring glances being cast by Championship Swansea.

If a new first-choice keeper arrives it’s a stretch to see Alex Bass staying as a No2, adding the requirement for a back-up option.

So that ‘five or six’ new faces Cowley was talking about, all of a sudden becomes a very conservative estimate. It could potentially be a lot, lot more.