The significance of Ross McCrorie's return from Rangers amid Portsmouth right-back hunt and interest in Barnsley's Dimitri Cavare

The Pompey boss’ faith in the fitness of Ross McCrorie means he may opt not to recruit another full-back this month.

Jackett has been weighing up Barnsley’s Dimitri Cavare and is a big fan of the Guadeloupe international.

But with McCrorie’s return now imminent the Blues manager is ready to prioritise elsewhere this month.

Jackett said: ‘If we suddenly had a gap (he’d look to sign a right-back) and there has been gaps there at different times through injuries.

‘Going back, we weren’t sure how McCrorie was going to respond to treatment.

‘He could’ve still been a month away and then we would’ve had work to do in terms of an assessment, because we want to make sure we’re not out of the season by the time we get players in.

‘Myself and the physio here feel we would have to be very, very unlucky if it (McCrorie’s hamstring) goes again.

‘He’s been well looked after both ways and it’s just generally one of those things.

‘He’s a young, fit lad so our expectation is when he comes back he will have no more problems with it.

‘It’s the information you got and your estimation. I knew Rangers quite rightly weren’t going to be releasing him until they were 100 per cent certain he would be okay.

‘The warm weather training he’s had was undoubtedly ideal for him and to have that opportunity was excellent.

‘I’m confident he’ll be fine and we’d have to be very, very unlucky for it to go again. I don’t think that will happen, because when he comes back at the weekend or next week we’ll give him a good base of training rather than just throw him into games.’

Jackett sees McCrorie and James Bolton now battling it out for a starting spot, with teenager Haji Mnoga a back-up option.

He added: ‘Ross’ best performance for us has been at right-back.

‘He’s a good complement to James who will take some shifting as well.

‘There’s been some good results, wins and and good performances from him.

‘They are different types of right-back but that’s where I see Ross now.

‘Going forward at the moment I see those two competing for that position.’