Portsmouth's fresh transfer vision - and how new appointment is pivotal to 'enhancing' Blues player hunt

Chief executive Andy Cullen is adamant a specific skill set is essential to fill the vacancy created by Roberto Gagliardi’s February exit.

In particular, experience in recruiting players is viewed as ‘absolutely massive’.

Pompey’s desire to focus on up-and-coming talented young players rather than relying on older professionals will prompt a switch in transfer approach starting this summer.

Central to that will be the next head of football operations, although the precise title has still to be finalised.

Nonetheless, the Blues hope to make an appointment this month as they limber up for the summer transfer window.

Cullen told The News: ‘This person will be a big influence on recruitment, they will work very very closely with us in terms of player recruitment.

‘That input will be absolutely massive.

‘Change is a big word, rather I think we will be enhancing the way we recruit players with this person.

‘Danny and I have talked strategically about where we would like to go in terms of recruitment and how we see the club evolving.

‘So we’ve got to have somebody who believes in that model as well, aligning with where myself, the owners and Danny want to go.

‘If you look at the model of players we have typically recruited in the past, there has been a bias towards older players coming into the building, but we need the balance.

‘We still need those older players, yet require more balance in terms of younger players coming in that are on a pathway.

‘We want a few more players to come in who have already played first-team football and are of an age where they can find their pathway with us and, hopefully, achieve success with Pompey.’

In recent times, Matt Clarke, Jamal Lowe and Enda Stevens have all been provided with a Fratton Park stage to progress their careers.

And Cullen is comfortable with such a process if it can also benefit the club – both in terms of success and financially.

He added: ‘They need to see us as an opportunity to further their own careers.

‘It might not be that you can keep them forever because they could get the opportunity to fast track to the Premier League, but you get recompensed for that.

‘That’s the reality of football and how we can enhance our competitiveness.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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