Danny Cowley says Pompey are 'clear' on their transfer targets as the squad get stuck into pre-season training.

Fans are becoming uneasy about the lack of arrivals - especially with no recognised strikers on the books - but Cowley seems calm about recruits as he puts his existing troops through their early paces.

He told the club website: 'We’re short in some areas of the pitch, although it’s fair to say we’re in a better position than this stage last year. There’s definitely work for us to do, but it’s exciting to bring in new players and we’re clear on our targets.

'We have clarity over the profile and positions of the guys we want and also their attributes off the pitch to complement those we already have in the building. Transfer windows aren’t always straightforward and we need to be patient — although that’s not a virtue I was blessed with!'

Cowley spoke of the importance of the pre-season period starting this week and said gone were the days when this time was all about getting players' fitness levels up.

He told the site: 'Pre-season is such an important time and we have 40 days, so having double sessions is pretty normal. You’re doing longer days, so it also gives the players a chance to come together and bond. Those human relationships grow over time.

'They looked in good shape, but have had bespoke off-season programmes, which are designed to develop their aerobic capacity. In the past six weeks they’ve probably run somewhere near 120k — gone are the days when you use this time to get them fit.

'Now they already come back fit for the start of the pre-season and for us it’s about sharpening their tools.'

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