Portsmouth boss fails to land Chelsea defenders, turns attention elsewhere
Championship side Portsmouth’s manager Steve Cotterill revealed he had failed to sign his desired player on a loan from English Premier League giants Chelsea. However, he has now turned his attention towards other players.
While he refused to mention which players he was eyeing for a possible loan move, it is believed that Cotterill was looking to bring in youngsters http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Patrick-van-Aanholt-c29315 and Ryan Bertrand until the end of the season.
However, the Blues were not keen on sending their players on a loan move to the Championship sides, which is why talks collapsed. While http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Chelsea-c38786 are looking to send the two players on a loan move, they are now other Premier League sides.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Patrick-c29254 van Aanholt made his senior debut for Chelsea in 2009, and has been on loan to various sides since then. He arrives back at Stamford Bridge after loan spells with Coventry City, Newcastle United and most recently
Leicester City.
The left-back is looking forward to establishing a place in the Chelsea team under new manager Andre Villas-Boas, but it may be a while until he gets the opportunity. The Blues are well taken care of at the left-back position by http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/England-c749 international Ashley
Cole.
Meanwhile, Ryan Bertrand is also a left-back and the 22-year-old English defender has also been on various loan moves after making his debut for Chelsea in 2006. He returns from Nottingham Forest, where he spent the 2010-2011 season on a half-a-season long
loan move.
The Portsmouth boss seems to have turned his attention to other possible signings in the summer transfer window. One player Cotterill is apparently keen on is Grant Leadbitter, the 25-year-old Ipswich Town midfielder.
While Cotterill confirmed he was in talks with Ipswich Town, he refused to comment on how far negotiations had progressed. He said he wanted to respect the player and the club and would only comment when and if the deal was finalized.
Cotterill said while speaking to reporters:
“I don't think we can get the player I would have liked to get in on loan from Chelsea.
As far as I know, our chief executive has spoken to one of the Ipswich guys (about Leadbitter).
"It's not come out publicly from us. Maybe they want it to come out publicly. It's not something I'd discuss in public. He's not our player.”
Having made some signings earlier on in the transfer window, Cotterill confirmed he still had some funds available to make more signings. The Portsmouth boss admitted he was looking to make at least one more signing before the end of the transfer window.
He said:
“We've spent a little bit of money.
We're already looking at a player who is going to cost a few bob in his mid-20s with a good pedigree.
We can't have it all. The owners have been very good with what they've done so far.”
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