Pompey contemplating recruiting Agyemang cover

The Blues boss is concerned he lacks a genuine replacement for the powerhouse forward should he be forced out of matches.

Last season John Akinde was seen as Agyemang’s natural deputy and took his place in the team against Stevenage – the only match the 32-year-old was unavailable for during his loan spell.

With Akinde now having been released, Whittingham is on the hunt for another strongly-built forward to provide cover.

And that could well see Pompey raiding the loan market.

‘We have four strikers but I think maybe where we are a little bit short is if Patrick is out for a period of time,’ said Whittingham.

‘We wouldn’t have a target man to hit. David (Connolly) is a target man, obviously, and is a great player but he’s not a big target man.

‘He can’t defend from corners with his head and score from corners with his head, so it might be one of those that we look for a bigger striker.

‘If there’s not one about then it might be a younger one on loan.

‘We have obviously looked at one or two players and have some irons in the fire. It has to be a like-for-like.

‘It might be if Patrick was to get injured for a certain amount of time we then see if there is one we can get on loan for the period he is out.

‘What I think is good is you have got Patrick, Ashley Harris, David Connolly and Tom Craddock, so you know you’ve got some decent players there.

‘Probably one of the best competition for places in a squad is the strikers.

‘Their job is to score so we need them bringing the best out of each other.’