Portsmouth reject latest Faye bid as Quashie exits

Portsmouth rejected a bid of £1.5m from Birmingham City for the midfielder Amdy Faye last night, just as Nigel Quashie completed his £2.1m move to Southampton. Milan Mandaric, Portsmouth's chairman, also said that he intended to meet striker Aiyegbeni Yakubu in the next few days "and tell him that, if I have my choice, we are not going to let him go anywhere".

Portsmouth rejected a bid of £1.5m from Birmingham City for the midfielder Amdy Faye last night, just as Nigel Quashie completed his £2.1m move to Southampton. Milan Mandaric, Portsmouth's chairman, also said that he intended to meet striker Aiyegbeni Yakubu in the next few days "and tell him that, if I have my choice, we are not going to let him go anywhere".

Nevertheless, the Newcastle United manager Graeme Souness yesterday confirmed his interest in signing the 22-year-old Nigerian. "Yakubu is one of several players who do interest me," Souness said. Portsmouth have placed a £12m valuation on Yakubu, partly to ward off potential suitors until the summer.

"I don't think people will pay that kind of price," Mandaric said yesterday. He also claimed that the player had been affected by the speculation surrounding his future, adding: "I'm getting a little bit unhappy about that and we really have to draw the line under these rumours".

Newcastle probably would not mount a bid - at around £7.5m - until after the end of the season in any case, which would suit Portsmouth. "I definitely don't want to lose Yakubu," Mandaric said. "But if we had to lose him it would not before the summertime."

Chelsea are also monitoring the situation and would also, it is believed, be prepared to wait. It would be impossible, as had been mooted, under FA rules, for Yakubu to be sold to another club and loaned back.

Faye still appears likely to leave this month if a club bids more than the £1.5m Mandaric rejected from Birmingham yesterday. The Birmingham manager Steve Bruce, who has taken the £5m Liverpool midfielder Salif Diao on loan, regards Faye as a replacement for Robbie Savage, who is set to complete his £3m move to Blackburn Rovers. Faye had appeared likely to go to Aston Villa, but negotiations broke down, while Middlesbrough have also expressed an interest.

The sale of Quashie has, however, made Mandaric more reluctant to lose other players and he is still considering adding a defender to Portsmouth's squad.

Interest has been expressed in Patrik Berger, who is out of contract in June, although Mandaric said that there has been no definite bid. "Clubs have said they are interested if we would release him, but we don't want to do that," he said. He confirmed that he wanted to offer the Czech midfielder a new contract.

Quashie yesterday completed his move to Southampton, joining up with former Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp, on a three-and-a-half year contact. He will make his debut against Liverpool on Saturday.

"Football is not about comfort zones. It is about how far you can push yourself and I am up for this cause," Quashie said of the relegation battle he joins at St Mary's. "We are obviously in a difficult position but there are 45 points to play for and we are capable of getting out of trouble."

Southampton, one of the clubs linked to Berger, are also in negotiations to take the Egyptian striker Mido on loan from Roma.

* The Argentinian forward Hernan Crespo said that he hoped Milan and Chelsea will be able to reach an agreement over his transfer to the San Siro. Crespo, who joined in the summer on a one-year loan deal, wants to remain in Serie A next season. "I'm not sure what Chelsea intend to do," Crespo said. "I will do my best to convince Milan to let me stay."