Kenny Jackett has been given very positive signals ahead of what could be a busy summer of transfer market acitivty at Fratton.

CEO Mark Catlin has said the club's owners will back him 100 per cent as he looks to strengthen the squad ahead of a hoped-for promotion push in League One in 18-19.

He told The News: 'To attract people and the quality of the type of Ronan Curtis requires, in this day and age, substantial transfer fees. And once again we have been backed heavily by our owners in that regard.

‘Last summer was pretty much the same in regards of Brett Pitman, Oliver Hawkins and Dion Donohue, transfer fees were paid for these players. What is pleasing for me as CEO — and should be pleasing for the fans — is we are under no pressure to sell players to subsidise those transfer fees. They are being subsidised 100 per cent by our owners.

‘For the right player Kenny identifies and wants to bring in, he requires the backing of our owners — and they will back him 100 per cent. We have been backed as an executive and as a manager, and that will continue to be the case.’

He said Tornante were prepared to listen to transfer requests — irrespective of the size of fee involved. He told the paper: ‘A million pounds for the right player might be cheap. A million pounds could be deemed by some as crazy money, but if it is for the right player then it is not silly money. ‘It is very subjective what is defined as silly money and what is not.’

Follow @Pompey_Fans

Click here to sign up for an account and reserve your username! You can then post on the Forum and add your comments to articles

Photo: Action Images

Portsmouth Polls