Pompey could be in for a reasonably stress-free summer in the transfer market.

Okay that may be a slight exaggeration - they are bound to get caught up in one or two protracted sagas over certain possible comings and goings.

But they can at least be content with the number of players already contracted beyond this season - in contrast to a number of recent summers, when they have been left with a worryingly-low number of players assured of staying into the next campaign.

Chief exec Mark Catlin told The News: 'We have most of our prized assets signed up and ready to go for next year — I think it’s a great foundation. I know there’s a lot of talk about players out of contract but have a look at those signed up and it is pretty much the nucleus of our team.

‘I don’t want to pick anyone out but some of our prized assets have been secured on long-term deals. We’ve got a very, very good core of first-team players contracted beyond the summer. There is still some flexibility for Kenny to either add from the ones out of contract or to look to recruit players at other clubs.

‘This year was always about consolidation — and we have used that to tie our brighter prospects and the players Kenny wants to keep on longer-term deals. I don’t know a player who signs a contract extension on the same money. It’s very, very rare if they do.

'So you’ve got to be careful it doesn’t have an adverse effect on your current budget. ‘For every new contract we give to protect our prized assets, their money obviously goes up and quite considerably because they were signed in League Two. But there is now the freedom for Kenny to hopefully bring in some exciting new signings in the summer.’

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