Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp has today admitted he was offered £15 million for midfielder Lassana Diarra on transfer deadline day, but he turned it down. The French midfielder has become an integral part of the Pompey starting eleven but Redknapp has admitted he could of sold the player.

“At the moment I don’t want to sell anybody. I turned down a £15 million bid for Diarra on transfer deadline day. I’m not saying who from - he might want to go there,” claimed Redknapp. “But he is worth more than that.

One club who were repeatedly linked with a move for Diarra, 23, was Premier League strugglers Tottenham. Juande Ramos was believed to be keen to add to his midfield options before the window closed and it had been widely speculated that he wanted to bring Diarra to White Hart Lane.

Diarra is a quality player and I am sure all Pompey fans will be delighted to see him still at Fratton Park. Redknapp could of easily sold Diarra and then gone out and tried to sign two or three average players. With Diarra’s performance today against Spurs for Pompey, I am sure Ramos would of been wishing he had of snapped up the promising French international.

Rivals Manchester United and Manchester City are to lock horns in a battle to sign Lyon striker Karim Benzema. The French international has become of of Europe’s hottest properties in recent months and he has caught the eye of both Mark Hughes and Sir Alex Ferguson in particular.

Lyon recently said they would not let Benzema leave for anything less than £80 million, a price that City could certainly meet now they are super rich. Benzema, 20, has scored 42 goals in just 99 games for the French giants Lyon since breaking into the first team almost four years ago.

There is no doubting Benzema’s talent and I really think he would be an excellent signing for either club in question but is he really worth £80 million. United currently have three top class strikers at Old Trafford in Berbatov, Rooney and Tevez and I see no reason for them to go out and buy another one in the shape of Benzema, so City would have to be favourites in my book.

Source : News of the World