Portsmouth to table improved offer for Newcastle's Joey Barton

26 January 2009 11:03
Newcastle proved reluctant to sell Barton for the £2 million offered recently by Bolton, despite the player's chequered history on and off the field.[LNB]However, Adams is eager to bring in a player with a combative edge to try and arrest an alarming slide in form that culminated with last year's winners bowing out of the FA Cup at the hands of Championship opposition, and will meet Newcastle's valuation, according to a report in the Mirror[LNB].[LNB]Portsmouth have been busy in the January transfer market and have confirmed the signing of West Ham's Hayden Mullins and Portuguese Under-21 international Pele from Porto.[LNB]Mullins has joined on a three-and-half-year deal for an undisclosed fee while 21-year-old attacking midfielder Pele has signed on loan until the end of the season, with a view to permanent move. [LNB]Both players will go straight into manager Portsmouth's squad for the side's Premier League clash with Aston Villa at Fratton Park.[LNB]Portsmouth executive chairman Peter Storrie admitted both deals were concluded quickly and hopes the same for Portsmouth's approach for Barton.[LNB]Storrie said: 'Tony and I decided to move for Hayden on Saturday night. We got hold of West Ham on Sunday morning and I think they were a bit surprised that we wanted to get the deal done so quickly. [LNB]'He wanted regular football, because he has been in and out of the West Ham side. [LNB]'Pele's an exciting young talent. He did well for Inter before joining Porto. But there was a change of manager at Porto, who switched it around a bit, and the boy was desperate to move. [LNB]'He's an expensive player, so it's a deal with an option to buy so we can both have a look at each other.'[LNB]

Source: Telegraph