Portsmouth are hoping to agree a new four-year deal with in-demand England full-back Glen Johnson in the very near future.Manager Tony Adams is also confident of keeping Sean Davis and Richard Hughes at Fratton Park after offering them contract extensions.

Johnson has been linked with a move away from the club and Liverpool are believed to be monitoring his situation.

But after the exit of Lassana Diarra and the expected departure of Jermain Defoe, the right-back looks set to stay.

Talks are believed to be progressing to extend his current deal by a further two years until 2013.

Davis and Hughes are to be offered new contracts - six months earlier than planned - and they could be signed later this week.

Adams had previously insisted he was willing to wait until the end of the season before deciding on the futures of 15 out-of-contract players.

As well as Davis and Hughes, that list also includes Sol Campbell, Noe Pamarot, Kanu and Glen Little.

Adams has, meanwhile, set about the task of lining up new faces as he prepares to lose Jermain Defoe to Tottenham.

Defoe looks poised to move back to White Hart Lane and Adams could use some of the of the expected £15million he will fetch to bring Gary O'Neil back to Fratton Park.

Lens' Ivory Coast international Aruna Dindane has also been linked with the club together with Valencia midfielder Edu.

O'Neil is understood to have handed in a transfer request at Middlesbrough and manager Gareth Southgate left the 25-year-old out of their FA Cup win over Barrow on Saturday.

Adams said: "I'm trying my hardest to improve the club and have a recruitment team trying their hardest to improve the club.

"I have to balance the books and try to manage the football club. It's all part of the job."