South coast club Portsmouth are looking to offload John Utaka as they look to cut costs in their first season in the Championship. Utaka’s £35,000-a-week wages are becoming too much for the relegated club to handle especially with the cloud of administration looming large. Pompey are expecting as little as £1 million for the player whom they signed from Rennes for £7 million in 2007.
Utaka claimed to have had offers from leading German clubs in Bayer Leverkusen and FC Cologne but has decided to stay in England. “My manager is looking into the offers before him. Everything is in the air. I would like to stay in the Premier League. It is quick, aggressive and direct and there are loads of goals every week. And, yes, the money in England is also good,” he said.
Bolton, Sunderland and Fulham have expressed interest in the Nigerian. But the statistic that he has scored only seven times in sixty-five games could deter the Premier League clubs from making a move for him.
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