Contract talks to wait until after transfer window
DANNY COWLEY has revealed talks with the soon-to-be out-ofcontract members of his squad are on hold until after the January transfer window.
The Blues now have a total of eight senior players whose permanent deals expire in the summer – a figure that includes first-team regulars such as Sean Raggett,
Marcus Harness, Lee Brown and John Marquis.
Not all of them will be offered new terms to remain at Fratton Park beyond this season and talks have already been held with those who are free to leave this month.
Nevertheless, the Pompey head coach reaffirmed his immediate focus is solely on bringing new additions to the club this month – while overseeing some high-profile departures.
High earners Ellis Harrison (permanent move to Fleetwood) and Paul Downing (loan switch to Rochdale) have already departed this month – players whose deal were set to expire in June.
Norwich loanee Gassan Ahadme has also left
(moving to Burton for an undisclosed fee), while Arsenal’s Miguel Azeez has followed suit.
However, the south coast outfit are keen to retain the services of top-scorer Harness as he enters the final six months of his deal.
The News revealed Pompey have already rebuffed numerous Championship enquiries for his signature, with the club intending to trigger the 12-month option they have on the former Burton man.
But for team-mates such as Brown and Raggett, they’ll have to bide their time to open talks with their boss.
Cowley told The News :‘I think the major focus for us at the moment is on potential departures or bringing players in.
‘We are aware we have a number of players out of contract, but those conversations will probably begin once this window closes.
‘That’s normally how it works because, as everyone will respect, we only have one pair of hands and January is a pretty busy time.’
The other senior players whose contracts expire at the end of the season are Shaun Williams, Louis Thompson, Michael Jacobs and Reeco Hackett.
Jayden Reid and Jay Mingi are on one-year deals.