Portsmouth allowed just five senior summer signings in League One salary cap fallout

That’s the fallout from the proposed salary cap, which is expected to be implemented for the 2020-21 campaign.

Plans include a £2.5m wage cap in League One, while squads are to be restricted to a maximum of 22.

However, players aged under 21 are not counted in that tally.

At present, the Blues have 17 contracted first-teamers – plus 18-year-old Haji Mnoga.

In accordance with proposals, it means they have space for just five more players aged above 21.

And with the League One average wage approximately £1,300 under the salary cap, it will apply the handbrake to Pompey recruitment plans.

Chief executive Mark Catlin told The News: ‘Under current proposals, contracts are backdated to June 30, so if we signed a player now his full wage would be under the salary cap.

‘Those signed before that would be counted at the League One average wage.

‘This is why, at the moment, there are loads of players we want to sign, but we’re offering the League One average – and they are laughing at it.

‘And that’s all we can do because we have 18 contracted players – of which one (Mnoga) is under 21.

‘With there also going to be a 22-player cap, Haji is exempt. So that’s 17 players who are treated at the divisional average.

‘That leaves us five slots, that’s all we have, and they must also be around the divisional average to fit in with the £2.5m salary cap.

‘If this is voted through, obviously we will need to find ways to adapt.

‘Although with under-21s exempt, we’ll have to focus heavily on the under-21 market – and will adapt our market accordingly.’

Pompey are already monitoring Brighton’s Alex Cochrane.

The 20-year-old is a left-back and available on loan. Perhaps just as enticing is the matter of under-21 loan players not included in the salary cap.

The Blues presently have just four defenders on their books – James Bolton, Paul Downing, Jack Whatmough and Mnoga.

In addition, former third-year scholar Joe Hancott has a deal until December to impress following a long-term knee injury.

Catlin added: ‘If a club wants to vote, we are not the judge and jury. They have to vote in the best interests of their club.

‘I believe this is bad news for football, I believe it creates a huge gap between League One and the Championship moving forward.

‘This is principally not about self-sustainability, it’s about levelling the playing field.

‘For a club which has argued for self-sustainability for the last seven years, it feels like a smack in the teeth.’

MORE: Catlin blasts promoted Coventry, Rotherham and Wycombe handed League One salary cap vote.

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