Portsmouth transfer news: Blues unwilling to enter bidding war with Reading and Peterborough for Gillingham defender Jack Tucker

The 21-year-old has a growing list of admirers, with Old Firm duo Celtic and Rangers, Brentford, Reading, Hull and Peterborough all linked with the centre-back since the turn of the year.

National reports over the weekend claimed the Blues have since entered the race, with an opening bid of £200,000 lodged.

That’s some way off the players’ apparent value, with sources claiming Gillingham could be looking as much as £1.5m for Tucker, who has made 87 senior appearances.

But The News understands the Blues will not entertain paying some of the figures being bandied around.

As shown by their interest in Jayden Stockley – for whom they had a fee in the region of £450,000 accepted by Preston, before the 27-year-old opted for a move to Charlton – Pompey are prepared to spend money on the right targets.

Yet, despite interest in Tucker, he’s not a player the Blues are willing to fight other clubs with bigger budgets for.

Gillingham are also determined to hang on to their youth product after losing several other key players since the end of last season.

It’s understood head coach Danny Cowley remains keen to add to his central-defensive pool.

This week saw Clark Robertson join on a two-year deal following his Rotherham exit.

But there’s room for one more, with Paul Downing and Sean Raggett Cowley’s only other options at this moment in time.