Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley makes transfer admission as former Luton and Millwall midfielder edges closer to Fratton Park exit

Ryan Tunnicliffe is attracting interest as he looks set to end his year-long stay at Fratton Park.
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However, initial approaches from clubs in League One are yet to turn into concrete offers.

Danny Cowley, meanwhile, also stressed that any move away for the midfielder would have to suit both parties.

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The 29-year-old finds himself on the fringes of the first team following the summer acquisitions of Marlon Pack and Tom Lowery.

Jay Mingi’s emergence has also pushed Tunnicliffe down the pecking order.

And with Joe Morrell and Louis Thompson specialist midfielders as well, there’s clearly not enough room for them all.

A free transfer arrival from Luton last season, Tunnicliffe is now considered surplus to requirements, with the Blues open to offers.

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The player has also expressed a wish to play regular football.

Pompey midfielder Ryan TunnicliffePompey midfielder Ryan Tunnicliffe
Pompey midfielder Ryan Tunnicliffe

But while Cowley welcomes that hunger to play and the continued professional shown, he said any potential deal between now and the end of transfer window must suit them and the player – a rule that also applies to Kieron Freeman.

Speaking to The News, the Blues boss said: ‘I think both players, Ryan Tunnicliffe and Kieron Freeman, have got really good attitudes, are good professionals, want to do well, want to play, and if they can’t play then as a consequence they’re going to naturally go and find football.

‘But it’s got to be the right move for us and it has to be the right move for them.

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‘Now let’s be honest, Ryan is not going to be short of options in this division and Kieron Freeman is exactly the same.

‘So it will be about them finding the right option – and if it works for us financially then it is something that we will look at.

‘And if it doesn’t, then we know we have two very good professionals with experience who will help the group as the season unfolds.’

It’s understood Pompey would ideally want nominal fees for both Tunnicliffe and Freeman if they were to depart Fratton Park this summer.

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If push came to shove, it’s unlikely to prevent moves away materialising, with Pompey needing players out before they can add to the group.

Yet if noting were to happen, Cowley stressed there’s an understanding within the group that no individual’s disappointment can impact the team.

He added; ‘I think we always have good communication with all of our players.

‘We speak on a regular basis and you don’t want to sign players who are happy when they’re not playing because we want to sign ambitious players who want to get better every day.

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‘We understand that if we want to sign players like that, when they don’t play, naturally they will miss playing and become frustrated.

‘We understand that, but as a collective group, understand that the team comes first.

‘It’s a key behaviour for us so never do any of the players or ourselves as staff let individual disappointment affect the spirit of the group.

‘We’ve good communication and I’m the sort of coach who wants to help player.

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‘I wake up every morning wanting to help the player, so if that means I have to let a player go to help them, then that is something I will be open-minded about as long as it obviously works for the club.’