Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley provides hint on what his January transfer window priority could be

The Pompey boss admitted he'd love four strikers at his disposal in order to get the flexibility he craves during busy periods of the season.

And that would provide him with the nine offensive players he feels is necessary at a time when five substitutes are allowed.

At present, Cowley has three centre-forwards to call upon – Colby Bishop, Dane Scarlett and Joe Pigott.

Bishop and Scarlett appear to be his favourite pairing up front, with the duo starting 10 of the past 11 league games together.

But while the former Accrington front man has amassed 11 goals in all competitions this season, the Spurs loanee has just four to his name – with his last coming against Peterborough on September 3.

That hasn’t stopped Cowley calling on Scarlett, whose pace, energy and power is a huge asset to the Blues’ forward line.

However, with an over-reliance on Bishop to come up with goods – and Pigott unable to fully establish himself at Fratton Park with three goals in his 19 appearances – Cowley confessed he would, ideally, like another option to help share the load.

Ronan Curtis and Reeco Hackett have both been asked to fill in up top at times.

But with the manager keen to have nine rather than the current eight forward-minded players he currently has, he feels another striker would fit in well.

Although, getting both Curtis and Michael Jacobs back fit from their respective injuries would be seen as progress, with the transfer window seven weeks away.

'I think you'd always love to have four forwards,’ he told The News.

'I think you need four forwards.

'Now, because of five subs, you do feel like you could get to a place where you have nine attacking players to give you real flexibility.

'The focus for me, now, is getting everyone we have fit.

'That is the main focus and I just think there's a lot of things we can do to make that a reality.'

Since Pompey’s 3-2 defeat at Ipswich on October 1, the Blues’ goal average per game has fallen from 2.1 to 0.83.