OMEN
01-08-2009, 11:56 PM
Middlesbrough have turned down a bid of £4.5m from Portsmouth for midfielder Gary O'Neil.
The 25-year-old former Pompey trainee moved to the Riverside from Fratton Park for £5.5m in August 2007.
Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie told the club website: "We made what we thought was a good offer.
"Unfortunately it was declined by Middlesbrough and we will not be increasing our bid. He would have been a good addition to the squad."
Middlesbrough, however, have previously stated that they will not be selling any senior players during the transfer window, chief executive Keith Lamb adding on Wednesday that the club would not respond to media speculation concerning their players.
Portsmouth boss Tony Adams has been told no more players need to leave Fratton Park during the current transfer window.
Adams has lost Lassana Diarra to Real Madrid and Jermain Defoe to Tottenham but Storrie said the sales are over.
"Let's make it abundantly clear, there will be no more players sold," he said.
"We do not want to sell any more players, Jermain wanted to go so he went, I assure you he's the only one."
Portsmouth made £20m from the sale of Diarra and Storrie was also happy with the business the club had done that took Defoe back to Spurs.
"With Jermain his mind was made up - he wanted to go. Of course it was disappointing but there was nothing we could do about it," said Storrie.
"In the end we got a good deal for him, effectively we got him on loan for a year and have made £6m in the process."
Storrie said the focus from now on will be on recruiting new players.
"None of the others will be leaving, we are now concentrating on bringing others in and strengthening the squad."
BBC
The 25-year-old former Pompey trainee moved to the Riverside from Fratton Park for £5.5m in August 2007.
Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie told the club website: "We made what we thought was a good offer.
"Unfortunately it was declined by Middlesbrough and we will not be increasing our bid. He would have been a good addition to the squad."
Middlesbrough, however, have previously stated that they will not be selling any senior players during the transfer window, chief executive Keith Lamb adding on Wednesday that the club would not respond to media speculation concerning their players.
Portsmouth boss Tony Adams has been told no more players need to leave Fratton Park during the current transfer window.
Adams has lost Lassana Diarra to Real Madrid and Jermain Defoe to Tottenham but Storrie said the sales are over.
"Let's make it abundantly clear, there will be no more players sold," he said.
"We do not want to sell any more players, Jermain wanted to go so he went, I assure you he's the only one."
Portsmouth made £20m from the sale of Diarra and Storrie was also happy with the business the club had done that took Defoe back to Spurs.
"With Jermain his mind was made up - he wanted to go. Of course it was disappointing but there was nothing we could do about it," said Storrie.
"In the end we got a good deal for him, effectively we got him on loan for a year and have made £6m in the process."
Storrie said the focus from now on will be on recruiting new players.
"None of the others will be leaving, we are now concentrating on bringing others in and strengthening the squad."
BBC