The transfer embargo complication that may impact forgotten man in January window
FORGOTTEN MAN Callum Johnson faces an uncertain January transfer window, with the Blues keen to trim their wage bill to fund signings.
Yet any potential Fratton Park departure is complicated by loan club Fleetwood’s ongoing transfer embargo which prohibits them paying fees for players.
The right-back clearly has no future at Fratton Park under Danny Cowley and is out of contract at the season’s end.
With the Blues currently wellstocked in his position following the summer signings of Kieron Freeman and Mahlon Romeo, Johnson was loaned to Fleetwood in August for the campaign.
He has gone on to make 17 appearances, establishing himself as a League One regular either at right-back or right wing-back.
The 25-year-old has also netted in two of his last three outings, most recently last weekend with a headed 84thminute equaliser in a 2-2 draw at AFC Wimbledon.
Tellingly, Pompey also allowed him to become cup-tied, by granting permission for him to feature in Fleetwood’s FA Cup first-round defeat to Burton.
Cowley has already spoken of his desire to next month offload players who will not be handed fresh deals with the Blues.
That puts Johnson in the frame, despite an encouraging maiden campaign at Fratton
Park last term, making 48 appearances and finishing third in The News/Sports Mail’s Player of the Season.
He has subsequently so far impressed during a seasonlong loan at Fleetwood, yet the League One strugglers are not in a position to pay a fee to sign him permanently in January.
The Cod Army are among eight clubs presently under Football League transfer embargoes, joining Derby, Hull, Reading, Gillingham, Oldham, Scunthorpe and Swindon.
In Fleetwood’s case, the sanctions are a consequence of not fully repaying a loan received on top of last season’s grant aid.
It means they cannot splash out transfer fees, although are able to complete free transfers and loans, while wages of new players must not exceed £2,500 a week.
The embargo, which was introduced last summer, is set to run for 12 months, with Johnson’s loan arrival being approved by the Football League in August.
While Fleetwood cannot buy Johnson in January, an alternative approach could be for the right-back to cancel his Pompey contract through mutual agreement.
That would then enable him to join the Cod Army on a free transfer, albeit his wages must not exceed £2,500 a week.
Of course, Johnson may prefer to remain on loan for the remainder of the season and assess his options in the summer as a free agent at the natural end of his Blues deal.
Regardless, a potential January transfer window departure for one of Cowley’s outcasts is not straightforward.