REVEALED: Portsmouth policy shift to recruit exciting, young players - with one addition set to arrive

And the Pompey boss intends to be aggressive in his policy of recruiting players from outside the Football League he believes can become assets.

The News understands a signing is already in place for a young prospect seen as a player for the future to come in this summer.

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And there is likely to be further additions of that ilk in the coming months, to supplement the large number of senior players Cowley is looking to bring in as part of his overhaul.

The Cowleys have now been at Fratton Park for 63 days and have used much of that time to assess the overall structures in place at the club.

The view has been taken none of the current crop of academy players were ready to step into the first-team set-up this summer.

That has led to widespread departures with the likes of Harry Kavanagh, Charlie Bell, Leon Pitman and Harvey Rew leaving.

Pompey have offered a contract to Alfie Stanley, although there are growing doubts about whether the young striker will sign what’s on the table for him.

New academy manager Greg Miller arrives with a remit to shake up the youth set-up, and work to produce players Cowley sees as good enough to step up.

In the meantime, the Pompey head coach will look outside of the league to bring in some fresh, hungry players to bolster his numbers.

Cowley is looking to work with a squad of around 22 men for his first full season at the club, with new rules expected to allow that number of senior player not counting keepers and under-21 players.

Pompey, of course, brought Jamal Lowe to Fratton Park from non-league football with spectacular success in 2017. The likes of Louis Dennis, Nicke Kabamba and Reeco Hackett-Fairchild are others recruited outside of the top four leagues in recent seasons.

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