Portsmouth manager Danny Cowley has confirmed that although he expects Marcus Harness to attract a great deal of attention from Championship sides in January, he has admitted that the club are unwilling to sell the winger.

Harness has produced a host of promising displays for Pompey in the current campaign.

During the 17 appearances that he has made for the club in the third-tier this season, the 25-year-old has scored seven goals whilst he has also chipped in with one assist.

As a result of his eye-catching performances at this level, Harness has recently emerged as a target for Blackburn Rovers.

A report from the Lancashire Telegraph yesterday revealed that Tony Mowbray's side are keeping tabs on the winger ahead of a potential swoop in the upcoming transfer window.

Whilst Harness' current deal at Fratton Park is set to expire next summer, Portsmouth do have the option to trigger a one-year extension.

As reported by BBC South journalist Andrew Moon, Cowley has admitted that the Pompey are unwilling to sell their best players in January and is certain that the club will extend Harness' stay in the not too distant future.

The Verdict

When you consider just how impressive Harness has been for Portsmouth in recent months, it is hardly a surprise that Cowley is taking this particular stance regarding the winger's future.

In order to avoid the risk of losing the winger in January, Pompey ought to try and deter interest from elsewhere by extending Harness' stay.

Currently averaging a WhoScored match rating of 6.98 in the third-tier, Harness will be confident in his ability to deliver the goods for Portsmouth when they head to Sincil Bank tomorrow to face Lincoln City.

Pompey could potentially close the gap between them and the play-off places to two points if they beat the Imps.

Providing that Portsmouth do indeed seal all three points in this fixture, they could potentially use the confidence gained from this result to push on at this level in the coming weeks.