UPDATE: Portsmouth boss' Championship recruitment plan revealed

And The News understands the Pompey boss is going to focus his attention on Championship players, who are available in the coming days and weeks.

The January transfer window officially opened for business yesterday, with Cowley able to carry out the squad reshaping he feels is so crucial to his side’s short and medium-term plans.

The reality, of course, is there has been months of planning going into the work which will be carried out before February 1.

Cowley knows he will have to be ‘creative’ in the business he conducts, with the head coach effectively working on a one in, one out basis with no space in his playing budget.

That means moving on some of the high earners among the one third of his options taking up to two-thirds of the playing wage bill at present.

Cowley is convinced he can find value in out-of-favour players at second-tier clubs at present.

Rather than players who’ve been without a club this season, the Pompey boss feels he can land options in the final year of their deals who can come to an agreement over cancelling the remainder of their contracts.

It’s a similar scenario Pompey find themselves in over the the likes of Ellis Harrison, Michael Jacobs, John Marquis and Paul Downing.

That circumnavigates the necessity to take a player on loan, and use up one of five valuable spots for temporary additions Cowley is sticking to.

The head coach has made it clear he would like up to four new faces before the close of the window.

Cowley is desperate to add an additional central defender to his ranks, along with a physical presence to bolster his attacking options.

The Pompey boss brought in 15 new faces last summer, with 18 players departing Fratton Park in a massive squad overhaul.

Cowley has made it clear the coming weeks are important in avoiding a repeat of that frantic business next summer, as well as supplementing his options for a play-off charge this term.

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