Why swap deals could be key to future Portsmouth recruitment

Is there a more relatable school memory than standing in the playground scrolling through someone’s football sticker collection? Flicking through your mate’s pile checking if they had any spares you coveted to complete your book – pure bliss.

If you managed to stumble across the gem you were searching for then it would come at a cost, though.

Your counterpart would demand a sticker he didn’t have in return.

And you’d have to make sure the deal equated to the same value in terms of Panini currency.

It was either a like-for-like switch or you’d have to throw in a few extras for a sought-after sticker. A shiny Manchester United badge - or a Pompey one for that – wouldn’t exactly be switched for Charlton’s third-choice keeper, for example.

And as we head towards an unprecedented transfer window that will undergo seismic change because of the coronavirus crisis, what’s to say there won’t be a few real-life player swaps during the summer at the Blues?

Despite being one of the strongest clubs financially in the EFL during the Covid-19 outbreak, Pompey are still preparing for a massive hole in their balance sheet next term.

The suspension of football has meant losses of £1m-plus already, while the prospect of no supporters being allowed to attend matches will also have a significant impact on next term’s budget.

Kenny Jackett has already admitted previous plans have been decimated, with sizeable fees and long-term contracts for new players ruled out.

As a consequence, it plunges the likes of recruiting loanees Steve Seddon, Ross McCrorie and Cameron McGeehan permanently in doubt.

While the Pompey boss is happy with his current set-up, there’ll undoubtedly be areas he’d like to strengthen or freshen up.

Jackett will have to judge exactly who he wants to keep and who he could, potentially, let go.

And, crucially, he’ll have to be astute in the way he does his business.

Loans will play a substantial part, as will snapping up any free agents who come on the market.

But in terms of players who remain under contract, most EFL clubs are going to be in a similar scenario financially and may look to find a way of thrashing out deals between one another without getting the cheque book out.

In that case, swaps would be imperative.

For example, say the Blues were looking at a fresh right-back to bring to the club and challenge James Bolton for a starting spot.

The money in the coffers might not be there and they have to come up with another way to barter.

What about, then, if Pompey were to offer up someone like Paul Downing or Bryn Morris - depending on what the opposing side was chasing after – in return?

Should both parties seem happy with the deal then it could be given the green light.

Or imagine a Championship outfit was trying to prise Ronan Curtis away.

The Blues’ most-valuable commodity could fetch an established second-tier defender or several players for that matter whom, combined, would meet his valuation.

The caveat to this – players whom clubs would be looking to swap are most likely going to be out of favour.

But there’s enough so-called out of favour players lurking around the Championship who could do a job.

Indeed, Steve Seddon quickly springs to mind.

Meanwhile, Sean Raggett wasn’t getting a look-in at Premier League Norwich. I could go on.

Makeweight deals have been fairly common in football, with Pompey receiving £750,000 plus Matt Clarke when they sold Adam Webster to Ipswich in 2016.

Straight swaps are usually infrequent – but all could change in the post-coronavirus landscape.