Soccer: Portsmouth chases pricey goalkeepers

The financial might of Portsmouth under new owner Alexandre Gaydamak has already been felt in the transfer market after it emerged that Harry Redknapp will be allowed to move for Norwich City goalkeeper Robert Green if his bid for Chelsea's reserve Carlo Cudicini fails.

But Portsmouth are also expected to target three of Tottenham Hotspur's squad over the next month.

Redknapp's priority is a goalkeeper, and although Portsmouth would prefer Cudicini or Middlesbrough's Mark Schwarzer, both are likely to command weekly wages of more than 35,000 ($89,000).

The Chelsea goalkeeper, who has been supplanted by Petr Cech since the start of last season, has resisted all attempts to move him on - including offers from Internazionale and Liverpool - and he has a contract at the club until 2008.

The 32-year-old Italian is a favourite of Jose Mourinho, who has gone to great lengths to persuade him to stay as a No 2 to Cech.

Green, 26 later this month and valued at 2.5 million, would represent a more viable option to Gaydamak because his wages are understood to be around 15,000 and the player himself believes that his chances of being selected for the World Cup squad next summer rest on him playing in the Premiership.

Portsmouth goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown has been diagnosed with a slipped disc in his back, and his replacement Sander Westerveld is not thought to be a long-term solution.

Although Redknapp confirmed his interest in Schwarzer, 33, the Australian may be told that he has to stay at Middlesbrough if no replacement can be found for him. Meanwhile, the new Portsmouth owner is expected to fund moves for Tottenham's Pedro Mendes as well as the midfielder Sean Davis and the fullback Noe Pamarot as Martin Jol jettisons some of his squad. Aston Villa's Lee Hendrie is also believed to be a target.

Mendes, a European Cup winner at Porto in 2004, has said before that he is not keen on a move to the South Coast, but Tottenham are eager to move him on this month.

So too Davis, who had been linked with a move back to Fulham but has now become a serious target for Portsmouth.

Pamarot, 26, had a loan spell at Portsmouth in the 1999-2000 season when he was still at Nice and has played just twice for Tottenham this season.

Jol is looking to slim down his squad to accommodate younger players such as Tom Huddlestone, on loan at Wolves, where he has recently extended his stay by a month.

The wealth of central midfielders at the club has made it impossible to give Huddlestone the opportunities that winger Aaron Lennon has enjoyed, but with the probable departure of Mendes, Davis and possibly Michael Brown, he should be given his chance.

Redknapp also has the former Tottenham striker Steffen Iversen, 29, a free agent, on trial at Portsmouth. Redknapp said: "He is down here and has done very well. I agreed to look at him, and that is where it is now. He has come in and has got himself in great shape."

Charlton have given a trial to the experienced Valencia midfielder Gonzalo De Los Santos, 29, who has 28 caps for Uruguay and was reportedly a target for Arsenal earlier in the season.

- INDEPENDENT