Detailed: The big issue which could have huge impact on Portsmouth’s transfer activity as window closes

And without careful consideration it can impact the recruitment business of sides, while also massively hurting the playing prospects of squad members.

Under EFL rules the Blues are required to register a 25-man squad for the 2024-25 season, who will carry Championship hopes into battle this term.

Yet, with two days of the window remaining, John Mousinho has a group of 32 senior players - with incoming Brighton striker Mark O’Mahony set to boost that number further.

As you would expect of the current football operation, this is a scenario Pompey are across - but how are things going to work out?

Firstly, when considering how things will play from here, it’s important to look at the players who count towards that 25-man total.

Significantly, you are allowed unlimited under-21 players who are registered on permanent contracts.

So new boys Abdoulaye Kamara and Harvey Blair along with Terry Devlin don’t count towards that figure. The same goes for Reuben Swann, though he is taking his first steps as a Pompey player on loan with Hawks, and academy hope Harry Clout.

With loanees counting towards the squad total, we could well see Pompey arrive at juncture where players don’t make the cut as others arrive.

A central defender remains the obvious requirement before the window’s close, and when looking to see who makes way there are some obvious contenders.

Winger Anthony Scully has been told he can go while midfielder Ben Stevenson would likely have left before now, if it wasn’t for Pompey needing to protect themselves amid injuries.

From there, the Blues would need to be flexible over any other late opportunities which present themselves - and who makes way as a result.

That naturally revolves around which players are generating interest, with the likes of Gavin Whyte and Tom Lowery in that conversation.

Whyte is clearly out of favour after being left out of the squad in favour of academy youngster Clout at Middlesbrough, though finding a buyer who can cover the winger’s wages is the issue there.

No doubt some honest conversations have been taking place with some squad members this week, that would’ve involved the prospect of not making the 25 and being left in Championship purgatory if they didn’t move on.

This is the kind of manoeuvring which comes to the fore at the window’s climax, though Pompey appear to do so from a position where they now have the majority of their bases covered - amply so once injuries return.

Mousinho acknowledged managing the squad under the 25-man rules, is an issue which is under the spotlight presently - one Pompey are prepared for.

He said: ‘We’re okay at the moment.

‘We’ve got a couple of players like Abdoulaye who are under 21, so doesn’t go into that category. There are a couple of players, Abdoulaye and Terry for example, that wouldn’t take up a spot.

‘So we will see how things look this week and whether there are any ins and outs.

‘Whenever we recruit we do look at that (the 25-man squad) to make sure we get things right.

‘If we get to that point it becomes an issue where players are not going to be involved and not going to be named, it may be the right thing to do for them to move on.’