Portsmouth boss Guy Whittingham hopes for transfer boost

Portsmouth caretaker manager Guy Whittingham says he has not given up hope of being able to bring players in during the January transfer window.

The club are in administration and can currently only sign players on loan or who are out of contract.

But if they come out of administration before 31 January, they will be able to start brining players in and offering contracts that are longer than a month.

"Things might happen before the window shuts," Whittingham told BBC Solent.

Despite Whittingham's optimism, the chances are slim, with an adjournment hearing on 15 January unlikely to resolve the club's future.

It is likely that another court case will follow, while the process of coming out of administration once the club's future is resolved could also take several days.

The club have been in administration since February and are in the process of a takeover bid by the Pompey Supporters' Trust.

But that is dependant on them taking ownership of Fratton Park - which is currently controlled by Balram Chainrai.

Administrators of the club, PKF, are trying to force the sale of the stadium via the High Court.

"I've been put in the picture (by administrator Trevor Birch)," added Whittingham.

"But whatever [happens] we need to look ahead to Hartlepool and get three points and start recovering the 10-point penalty.

"Over Christmas we can try and claw as many back as we can in close proximity."

Pompey can currently only have a squad of 20 and it is likely some players will leave the club when their contracts expire in January, but Whittingham says there is still a chance they can bring players in during the window.

"There is scope for that if all parties agree and if things can be done," he said.

"Who knows after the court case how quickly things can be done? If everything is favourable for us, then we can come out of administration."