Portsmouth boss discusses future of reported Middlesbrough target Jamal Lowe

The 24-year-old winger has been linked with a range of clubs in the last few months, including Boro, Leeds, Cardiff and Wigan.

Reports this week claimed Lowe, who scored 15 league goals for Pompey last season, had told the club he wants to leave this summer, yet Jackett, whose side lost in the League One play-offs last season, says that isn’t the case.

“Jamal hasn’t requested a transfer, he is fully fit and committed,” Jackett told Portsmouth News. ‘We have turned down bids and there is no real appetite inside the club from the board of directors to sell him.

“But I won’t sit here saying “people aren’t for sale” because there’s obviously a price for every player.

“I don’t know whether bids will come in over the next couple of months, as a manager I hope not, I don’t know what is going to happen.

“But there is no real appetite for us to sell him, we have turned down bids so far, I don’t think they are coming back.”

It has been reported that both Wigan and Millwall have seen bids of around £1.5million knocked back for Lowe, yet Jackett says recent interest has been

overhyped

The Portsmouth boss has also been happy with the player’s attitude, despite suggestions he’s become unsettled.

‘For the level of speculation you would think there have been bids all the time, or phone calls, but there haven't been,” added Jackett. “Whether that happens now, I don’t know.

‘People ask how is and what’s he like, well he ran well yesterday and looked fit, refreshed and ready to go.

‘He lives locally and has been in and around the training ground a lot after an initial couple of weeks off, so we had an idea of where he was physically because the fitness coaches have been with him.

He was worked hard throughout the summer and came in yesterday with a good attitude.’