Source: Team_Talk
Pompey want decent fee for Utaka
Portsmouth are ready to sell striker John Utaka as they look to ease their crippling debts ahead of a season in the Championship.[LNB] The Fratton Park club are keen to raise a reported £15million from player sales as they look to emerge from administration before the new season.[LNB]Utaka, who cost the South Coast outfit £7million when he was signed from Rennes in 2007, is said to be attracting interest from French side Sochaux and clubs in the Middle East.[LNB]Administrator Andrew Andronikou accepts he will have to take a loss on the 28-year-old, who scored just seven goals in 65 appearances, but will not accept any offer unless it meets his valuation.[LNB]Andronikou told The News: "I think John would want to go, but it would have to be a good bit of business. John is a talented striker and, on his day, he is a class act.[LNB]"The coaches feel he is a player who would generate a good fee if he was to leave. It may well be that his career now lies away from Europe.[LNB]"It may be that he wants to go back to the Middle East. We have ideas of what values we want to achieve.[LNB]"We certainly think what we should be offered for John is more than we would expect for one or two other players.[LNB]"We're not advocating a fire sale here, though, so if we don't achieve the price we think is right for him we are not going to let him go."
