Talks advance with Portsmouth targets as Danny Cowley details process

The News understands the Blues are reaching advanced stages in discussions with a couple of potential signings.

Pompey have yet to make significant in-roads this summer with recruiting, with Cowley facing a massive overhaul of his options.

Bromley youngster Liam Vincent is the only addition so far, but the head coach has moved to quell growing frustration among fans at not deals being sealed.

Despite that, Cowley has vowed he will remain methodical in his recruitment process to get the right additions.

He said: ‘I get the frustration, but how we work is we gather the information.

‘We believe if you gather the information you make intelligent decisions.

‘The first part is to gather the information and the next part is to filter to a place where we have five targets in each position.

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‘We filter it down to five targets and then do incredible detail on those targets.

‘If we thought there were players who could make a significant difference to us, we then press the button and move into the negotiation phase.’

Cowley highlighted how there will be leeway for his transfer hitlist to evolve this summer as players become available later in the window.

But that doesn’t detract from the immense detail the 42-year-old puts into narrowing down the players he wants to bring in.

He added: ‘It can be an evolving list because we know it’s an evolving market.

‘A player not available to us in May may be available in June, and a player not available in June may be available in July.

‘While there are five targets available to us in a position then we are in a position of strength, and will continue the process and could go into negotiations in a position of strength.

‘If that list gets down to one or two players our strength is not as good as it was. Then we have to respect that and make decisions accordingly.

‘There’s a lot of work which is done in terms of watching, a lot of reference and a lot of statistics.

‘For a player to sign it’s an incredible process.

‘The last part of the process is for them to go through our statistical programme, and to see how they would perform in a Portsmouth shirt with the players available.

‘Nicky and I then pretty much lock ourselves in a room for half a day and watch and watch and watch with forensic detail and a magnifying glass.

‘That allows us hopefully to make intelligent decisions for the club.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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