Redknapp wants Utaka’s landlord at Portsmouth

Tunde Ogunesan, Ado-Ekiti - 05.05.2008

Harry Redknapp has been given the go-ahead to make an £8million bid for Liverpool striker Peter Crouch as the Portsmouth boss begins a summer spending spree.

Crouch, who has a luxury flat in Port Solent, rented by Pompey’s Nigerian winger, John Utaka, has been Redknapp’s longterm target but a deal has yet to be agreed between the two Barclays Premier League clubs.

Meanwhile, if reports from England are anything to go by, the days of Nigerian imports Nwankwo Kanu, Utaka and their African team mates are number at Portsmouth.

Reports say Redknapp’s summer recruitment will focus on the recruitment of English players. The arrival of England striker Crouch at Fratton Park means Kanu will face competition in making Redknapp team week-in-week-out.

Redknapp has banked mainly on foreign imports, especially African players to improve his team, but his long-term plan is to rely on English players. David James, Sol Campbell, Glen Johnson and Jermain Defoe form the nucleus of the English stars currently at the club, but Redknapp wants to strengthen his side with a second wave of homegrown players in the summer.

Since returning to Portsmouth just before Christmas 2005, Redknapp has always tried to maintain an English core to his side. Combative midfielder Sean Davis was one of the first through the door before Redknapp made two of the shrewdest signings of his career, Sol Campbell and David James.