Crouch ejects Utaka! - Nigerian loses Pompey record

By Saliu Gbadamosi, with Agency Report - 13.07.2008

RETURNEE Portsmouth new signing, Peter Crouch is set to kick Nigerian international, John Utaka onto the street!

The England striker has been Utaka’s landlord since the Nigerian joined the Harry Redknapp side last summer on the prompting of compatriot and Super Eagles captain, Nwankwo Kanu.

The Fratton Park new-boy was quoted by tribalfootball.com to have said: “I’ve still got my apartment here from my first time at Portsmouth and Southampton.

“John Utaka is renting it at the moment. But I might have to kick him out. He might be homeless after today!” Crouch was with Pompey in the Championship between 2001 and 2002 when he was sold by Redknapp to Aston Villa.

Meanwhile, Crouch’s £11 million move to Fratton Park has dwarfed Utaka’s club record fee for his movement to the South Coast club last year. Utaka joined Portsmouth from French side, SC Rennes on then Portsmouth’s record fee of £7 million but that has been dusted with the return of the former Liverpool striker, who completed his Fratton Park move last Friday.