Kenny Jackett tackles talk 99-game Brett Pitman is being left out of Portsmouth side for contractual reasons

The Blues boss confirmed there’s been interest in the striker this month amid talk of the likes of League Two pair Plymouth and Swindon being keen on the 31-year-old.

But there is still to be a firm offer for the man who finds himself down the striking pecking order with just over week left of the transfer window.

Pitman currently finds himself stuck on 99 appearances since his arrival from Ipswich in the summer of 2017.

He hasn’t played a minute of the past five games, however, which has fuelled the rumour among fans he’s been left out for contractual reasons.

Jackett emphatically shot down that notion to put paid to the rumours.

He said: ‘There’s nothing on that at all.

‘He’s contracted until the summer with us but there’s no extra game to trigger an extension or anything like that.

‘It’s been quiet this week but there’s maybe been managers after games and a couple of League Two guys I’ve seen around who asked what the situation was with him a few weeks ago.

‘Even then he was substitute, but it’s been quiet of late and there’s not been any enquiries.

‘It’s been quiet this week in terms of interest in him. It’s been like through January in terms of offers on the table for people to take him.’

Jackett acknowledged Pitman isn’t going to be happy about his lack of minutes with six months remaining of his contract.

But he feels he currently sits behind a number of players in the Pompey attacking pecking order.

Jackett added: ‘He’s been the same in his approach to training. There’s no problems there.

‘He’ll be frustrated. There’s the likes of John Marquis, Ellis Harrison and Andy Cannon, who’s made a good fist of the number 10 position.

‘So in terms of those areas there’s people above him.’