Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley makes Callum Johnson transfer admission as deadline looms

But the Pompey boss admitted it was necessary in order to help generate the funds he feels are required to further boost his squad’s quality.

The defender sealed a season-long loan move to Highbury Stadium on Friday after dropping below summer signing Kieron Freeman in the right-back pecking order.

He walked straight into the Fleetwood side for their 1-1 draw at Plymouth today and played the full 90 minutes despite a lack of game time which was added to by a three-game ban following his red card at Milwall in the Carabao Cup.

Despite searching for a right-sided centre-back, Cowley – who also wants to add a creative midfielder and striker to his ranks – said Johnson was not a player he was actively looking to leave.

But with other players in his squad not generating the type of interest he would like ahead of Tuesday’s transfer deadline, the Blues boss confessed a difficult decision had to be made.

Speaking to BBC Solent after the 1-0 defeat at Wigan, Cowley said: ‘As you know, we’ve got to move out to move in.

‘We managed to move Callum Johnson out on loan, which probably wouldn’t have been our preference in an ideal world.

‘But what you’ll all respect is that some players are easier to move than others and when you are trying to improve a squad and trying to get a balance and trying to work towards your game idea, sometimes you have to make decisions that you don’t always want to make.

‘But some times moving one allows you to bring in two and this is just where we are at.’

Johnson played 47 times for Pompey last season following his move from Accrington for an undisclosed fee.

The Blues have been linked with Arsenal youngster Miguel Azeez and Millwall defender Mahlon Romeo as the transfer window nears a close.

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