Last Updated: Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:07
Chief executive Peter Storrie has confirmed that Portsmouth will have 15 squad members out of contract next summer.
Boss Tony Adams has been granted the go-ahead to have a clear-out in order to shape his own squad, so he must decide which of the 15 he would like to keep and who can leave Fratton Park on a Bosman free transfer at the end of the season.
Skipper Sol Campbell, Sean Davis, Noe Pamarot, Kanu, Richard Hughes and the club's longest-serving player, Linvoy Primus, are among those who will be out of contract, while loan pair Nadir Belhadj and Armand Traore are included in the numbers. Therefore the club face a hectic time in an effort to get the players Adams wants to keep tied down to new deals.
Storrie told The News: "Squads do turn around. If you've got 30-odd players you tend to have up to ten every season which change.
"The ones that are probably senior and directly involved in the side are Campbell, Kanu, Hughes, Davis and Pamarot. Then you've got people like Lauren and Djimi Traore, who haven't featured much.
"We've got a few young ones this time as well, people like Duffy and Christophe.
"Obviously those 15 include Nadir - who we hope to conclude in January - and Armand Traore.
"But what happens next is in Tony (Adams') hands. It's up to him to come to me and say 'I want to let this one go' or 'I want to keep this one'. It's his decision and not anyone else's."
Meanwhile, leading scorer Jermain Defoe is doubtful for Pompey's home clash against Hull on Saturday, after picking up a calf injury during England's memorable 2-1 triumph against Germany in Berlin on Wednesday.