NEWPORT COUNTY boss Justin Edinburgh has a list of defensive targets he wants to sign, but admits there will be no arrivals at Rodney Parade without departures.

The Exiles, currently third in Sky Bet League Two, have made a trio of players, goalkeeper Lenny Pidgeley and strikers Christian Jolley and Danny Crow, available for transfer.

And it is understood the Exiles are close to having some news on Crow, with his departure from the club expected in the next 24 to 48 hours.

However, it is as yet unclear if the move for the former Luton man will be a permanent transfer, a loan or if the club have negotiated his release, the ex-Peterborough man out of contract in the summer.

However, Edinburgh, linked himself with a move away from Rodney Parade, is hoping to waste little time in looking for reinforcements to his squad, particularly defensively.

“There are things happening, but we are looking at a situation whereby we need to move some players out and have transfer listed three,” he said.

“We are at our maximum with financial fair play and we know we need one out at least before anyone comes in.

“We have players in place to come here and it’s a case of moving as and when we can.

“We need a defender, we can’t continue with a situation whereby we only have three defenders in the group.

“We know we need to act on that.”

Edinburgh confirmed Crow is the closest to the exit door.

“Danny is moving very much in the right direction, I am hopeful we will have news in the next 24 hours,” he said.

“And that would certainly give us the funds to look at bringing someone in.”

Edinburgh also added his thoughts on why he criticised the Portsmouth News for their pre-match coverage of last Saturday’s visit from the Fratton Park outfit, who described County as a long-ball side.

“It doesn’t really bother me as we know what we are all about, but I felt I should say something as sometimes it’s a bit disrespectful to my players and I don’t really want that,” he said.

“I felt I owed my players the protection they deserved from an individual. I had the chance to air my views and I had every right to do so.”

Edinburgh also laughed off Pompey boss Andy Awford’s damning assessment of the referee from Saturday’s clash.

“I think Andy will probably be a bit embarrassed, Aaron O’Connor is five-yards onside for the winning goal and I how the linesman even puts his flag up... It’s a poor decision from him.

“It’s a legitimate goal and Andy is looking for reasons maybe to deflect, but we’ve won the game, we’ve beaten Pompey twice without conceding a goal... we won the game and it wasn’t dubious. It was a very good goal, simple as that, Aaron’s run is a brilliant one. People have tried to take the gloss off what was a super win.”