Bognor manager: Eastleigh's move for Smith is far from a done deal

He says Smith is by no means certain to join the National League side with the clubs still not seeing eye to eye over the amount of compensation the Spitfires would have to pay Bognor for the talent.

It was reported on Tuesday that Smith was poised to make the trip along the south coast to join a side who are well-established in the top division of the non-league game - two divisions above Bognor - and Pearce conceded the transfer could happen.

But he said: "It's far from settled."

Because Smith is under 24 and Bognor have offered him terms for 2020-21 not less than those he was on in the season just finished, Smith has until the end of May to accept those terms or tell the Rocks he does not accept them. Pearce said Smith had not at this time told Bognor he was not accepting them.

If a move does go ahead, a compensation fee is due - and the two clubs must do all they can to agree. If they cannot agree the amount can be set by an FA tribunal but that is supposed to be a last resort.

Pearce told us: "We've been so far apart on the terms of a deal, not within a million miles. I'm not saying the deal won't be done but at the moment it's speculation. We're not near agreement.

"I apologise to Eastleigh that this story has appeared in public - it shouldn't have."

The Rocks are certainly keen to keep Smith - he was leading scorer by some distance in the 2019-20 season and will guarantee them goals at this level. They're also hoping to recruit Smith's former Pompey academy squad-mate Brad Lethbridge, who has been on loan at Nyewood Lane for most of the past two seasons and has now been released by the Fratton Park club.

But Pearce said it remained quiet in terms of player moves, as no-one knew when next season would begin and, in most cases, clubs did not know what their budgets would look like.