Portsmouth transfer news: Cambridge United boss makes hardball stance known amid Blues and MK Dons interest in key forwards

That’s the message from U’s boss Mark Bonner, who admitted he doesn’t expect any departures from his Abbey Stadium squad before deadline day on September 1.

The Blues were linked with Cambridge attacking duo Shilow Tracey and Harvey Knibbs last week.

The News understands head coach Danny Cowley has been monitoring the pair as part of his efforts to add further to his attacking ranks.

That’s despite already signing Colby Bishop, Joe Pigott, Dane Scarlett and Owen Dale this summer, with the latter three arriving on loans.

It also comes as Pompey step away from their interest in Barnet winger Ephron Mason-Clarke, with multiple unsuccessful bids lodged for the 22-year-old.

The Blues are League One’s joint-top scorers this season to date with 12 goals, sharing top spot with Peterborough.

But if they want any of Cambridge’s forward options to bolster that fire-power – they were also linked with Sam Smith earlier in the summer – then Bonner claimed it would not be cheap.

The U’s boss told Cambridgeshire Live: ‘I say all the time don’t I, the interest in our players has never gone away for two years.

‘I think we’ve got so many that people are interested in. Harvey (Kibbs) is one of them, but we’ve got quite a lot of players that people want.

‘We don’t see anybody going anywhere, not to our expectations or knowledge.

‘We’re not in a position that we’re going to be trading players, we don’t need to be doing that. We want to keep this squad together as best we can.

‘If in the next 10 days something ridiculous comes up, that’s a different kettle of fish, but we certainly don’t envisage doing anything in terms of players in or out between now and the close of the window.

‘Our job is to try and keep this strong squad together, and see what we can achieve together this year.’

Both Kibbs and Tracey were part of the Cambridge side that lost 4-1 at Fratton Park last week.

Tracey showed the kind of pace and direct threat Cowley feels is still required going forward.

The former Spurs man also offers the versatility the Pompey boss is looking for and has operated in a number of attacking positions for his side.

The same can be said of Knibbs, although he has tended to operate more centrally for Cambridge.

Last week it was reported that MK Dons had a bid rejected for the 23-year-old.