The transfer sacrifice Portsmouth boss will have to make amid talk over Sunderland and Wigan Athletic pair

Danny Cowley admitted he will have to make sacrifices to get the quality of player he wants over the remainder of the window.
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And that is expected to lead to the Pompey boss redistributing the remainder of his playing budget this month, to different areas of the pitch from where it’s been used so far this term.

Pompey have seen five players depart in January, with Cowley admitting he’s been surprised at the rate at which space has been freed up in his wage bill.

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John Marquis, Ellis Harrison, Paul Downing have all left, along with loanees Miguel Azeez and Gassan Ahadme.

With defender Hayden Carter and striker Tyler Walker coming the other way on loan, it means Pompey are still two lighter in attackers and one down in terms of midfielders from the start of the month.

Cowley is known to be in the market for a left wing-back, with Sunderland’s Denver Hume being linked along with Wigan’s Tom Pearce.

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The Pompey boss realises though, he isn’t going to be able to cover all bases as he would like this month.

Sunderland's Denver Hume, left, and Wigan's Tom Pearce, right, have been touted as wing-back options for Pompey.Sunderland's Denver Hume, left, and Wigan's Tom Pearce, right, have been touted as wing-back options for Pompey.
Sunderland's Denver Hume, left, and Wigan's Tom Pearce, right, have been touted as wing-back options for Pompey.

Cowley said: ‘We probably know we can’t get the perfect balance, we probably can’t achieve that this window.

‘But we can definitely improve where we’re at.

‘We’re probably going to have to make a sacrifice somewhere, it’s fair to say that.

‘We just have decide where. That probably depends on finance and availability.

Danny Cowley. Picture: Graham Hunt/ProSportsImagesDanny Cowley. Picture: Graham Hunt/ProSportsImages
Danny Cowley. Picture: Graham Hunt/ProSportsImages
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‘It’s on availability really. In an ideal world there are three areas we’d like to strengthen.

‘We’re clear on what we’d like to bring in - crystal clear. Whether we can or not, time will tell.

‘We’re trying to get balance and competition in all the places, that’s what we’d like.

‘We’re trying to get the best balance we can and, we’re in a much better position (defensively) having brought Hayden into the squad.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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