Danny Cowley makes honest claim about Portsmouth’s plans for loan market this summer

Portsmouth head coach Danny Cowley has insisted that any potential loan signings that the club makes this summer will not make up the core of his squad.

Pompey drafted in Gavin Bazunu from Manchester City and George Hirst from Leicester City on temporary deals last year.

Both of these players went on to become key players for the club in League One as they produced a host of impressive performances at this level.

Bazunu managed to keep 16 clean-sheets in 44 appearances in the third-tier.

Meanwhile, Hirst scored 15 goals and provided three assists for his team-mates in 46 appearances in all competitions.

With Bazunu and Hirst both set to return to their parent-clubs at the end of May, Cowley is now facing the tough task of trying to find adequate replacements for these two players before the new season starts.

Ahead of the upcoming window, the Pompey boss has admitted that he is hoping to avoid a similar scenario regarding loan players at Portsmouth in the future.

Speaking to The News, Cowley said: “Loans can’t be the core – and hopefully that won’t be the case again.

“We want our loans to be the icing and cherry on the cake.

“If we want sustained success we are going to have a core who are your own players.

“They can then give us a platform to then recruit from.”

The Verdict

This is a sensible approach by Cowley as although loan players can make a major difference to a team in the short-term, the long-term success of a club often depends on individuals who are signed to permanent deals.

As well as helping Portsmouth achieve a relative amount of success in the Football League, these players could go on to provide the team with a financial boost if they are purchased by other clubs.

Pompey will be looking to reach new