‘I don’t think we’re in a position to’ - Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley's frank admission on free transfers that will not go down well with sections of the Fratton faithful

His concession comes less than 48 hours after the Blues head coach appeared to have changed his mind on free agents at this time of the season.

That was a stance he maintained throughout the January transfer window.

But Joe Morrell’s red card at Oxford on Saturday – a dismissal which carries an automatic three-match ban – looked likely to force his hand.

Now, in another dramatic U-turn, Cowley has confessed it’s not an avenue currently available to him.

Forced to work with what he has, the Blues have subsequently made the decision to recall teenager midfielder Harry Jewitt-White from his short unproductive loan spell at the Hawks.

That will help boost numbers in the engine room, where Morrell’s impending suspension and Shaun Williams’ back injury means Louis Thompson and Ryan Tunnicliffe are the only fit senior players available in that department.

Pompey can’t even call upon Jay Mingi – the former Charlton youngster who signed a one-year deal at Fratton Park in the summer before heading to Maidenhead on loan.

Despite being back to Fratton Park, he too is unavailable for selection because of a dislocated shoulder.

Dipping into the free-agency market therefore looked the best solution for a short-term fix.

But according to Cowley, it’s not an option.

He told The News: ‘I don’t think we’re in a position to look at the free agent market, so we’re working with what we have.

‘We know we’re a little bit light in that position because we lost Shaun Williams on deadline day, and we’ve potentially lost Joe Morrell for three games.’

Such news will no doubt infuriate sections of the Fratton faithful already disappointed with how the transfer window unfolded.

Despite five new arrivals and seven senior fringe players leaving last month, Cowley failed to bring in extra cover for midfield, which was one of his priorities ahead of deadline day.

CEO Andy Cullen has since revealed the Pompey manager was handed extra funds in January to sign Denver Hume on a permanent £200,000 deal from Sunderland.

But with the Blues currently running a threadbare squad, with Kieron Freeman also out injured, it begs the question how serious was their pursuit of a midfielder at the end of last month?In the meantime, Cowley hopes that the club’s appeal against Morrell’s red card for serious foul play at Oxford could ease the pressure.

He added: ‘I don’t want to keep moaning about referees and rules, but how does violent conduct and serious foul play both get a three-game ban?

‘When you look at the law and at what violent conduct is, then compare that to what serious foul play is, one is like murder and the other is like manslaughter.

‘For me, the sanctions should be appropriate. The fact they’re not is beyond me if I’m honest.’

A message from the Editor, Mark WaldronYou can support our local team of expert Pompey writers by subscribing here for all the latest news from Fratton Park for 9p a day, thanks to our 30%-off transfer window deal.