Pompey warn James suitors to forget bids
PORTSMOUTH chief executive Peter Storrie has told Tottenham and Manchester United to forget about trying to lure goalkeeper David James from Fratton Park.
Both clubs have been linked with January swoops for the veteran England No1, who has admitted to being unsettled by the club’s turbulent past few months.
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp, who is thought to have bid for James over the summer, could return to his former club with another offer.
United, meanwhile, are understood to be monitoring the 39-year-old, amid concerns over the long-term fitness of No1 Edwin van der Sar and the form of his back-up Ben Foster.
Dire financial circumstances have forced Portsmouth to offload a host of stars since the turn of the year, including England trio Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch and Glen Johnson. But following last week’s takeover by Saudi businessman Ali Al-Faraj, Storrie insists they are under no pressure, and have no desire, to sell James.
“It’s a load of rubbish, it really is. David is under contract and it will be staying that way. He’s happy and we are happy. David is going absolutely nowhere,” said Storrie. “We don’t need to sell him and we have no interest in doing so. People should ignore these rumours, that’s all they are.”
Redknapp, who left for north London a year ago, has already raided his old team for three players: Defoe, Crouch and Niko Kranjcar. The goalkeeping position remains a conundrum, with neither Heurelho Gomes nor Carlo Cudicini establishing themselves as an automatic choice.
James is a rarity in that he is eligible for the Champions League and would not command a huge fee. That makes him more attractive to United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, who has seen Foster struggle this season in place of the injured and ageing Van der Sar.