Redknapp Luring Smith

'Arry Redknapp would welcome Alan Smith at Portsmouth it seems though he's not an African striker for free - bit of a surprise here.

The Yorkshireman is reportedly chased by a number of clubs as United do not seem to be keen on keeping him, despite his efforts to persuade the club of his loyalty and commitment. Portsmouth are now among the possible destinations for Smith, as manager Harry Redknapp offered his opinion on the strikers' price.

'Alan Smith is good value at the money they are talking about,' he told the News.

'He was in the last England team and is proven. But the money they are talking about for other forwards are ridiculous.'

'We've got to where we are without going over the top, so I will not pay over the odds and throw away the chairman's money.'

The question is, what price are we talking about? Redknapp added that he did not know whether Freddie Kanoute was worth Ł7m. Well, anyone who saw him only at Spurs and West Ham will say no but those who are aware only of his exploits at Sevilla will be outraged by the suggestion that he could be bought for less than Ł10m.

Unfortunately, Smith's form is nowhere near to that of Kanoute's so if Redknapp is unsure whether the Mali striker's worth that Ł7m then surely he considers Smith good value at a price of 3,5Łm which, at a time when, as Redknapp himself commented, British players prices are rocketing upwards is very, very meagre, for me.

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