Portsmouth Football Club News

• Nickname:Pompey
• Founded:1898
• Manager:Michael Appleton

• Ground:Fratton Park
• Capacity:19,179

Pompey step up Muntari chase

24 Jan 2007 - 11:16:10

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Portsmouth are being linked with a move for the Udinese midfielder Sulley Muntari.

The 22-year-old Ghana international played three games for his country in last summer's World Cup Finals, including the Black Stars' second round defeat to Brazil.

Pompey boss Harry Redknapp has been chasing the midfielder's signature for some time, but has so far failed to meet Udinese's valuation of the player.

Muntari played for Udinese in Sunday's 1-0 win against Messina and has made more than 100 appearances for the Serie A side.

However, he has picked up three red cards this season with suspensions restricting his appearances to 12 this term.

He rose to prominence as a member of the Ghana side that finished runners-up at the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship. Muntari joined Udinese from Liberty Professionals in 2001 after Manchester United were unable to agree a fee with the Ghanaian club.

The dynamic midfielder subsequently helped the Bianconeri clinch a fourth place finish in Serie A in the 2004-05 campaign.

His progress in senior international football has been less smooth and he announced his retirement after being sent home from the Athens Olympics for disciplinary reasons, only to subsequently make a public apology and return to the squad.