Adams faces up to losing Defoe as Spurs show interest

JERMAIN DEFOE may have played his last game for Portsmouth, his manager, Tony Adams, has admitted. The England international missed training yesterday after calling in sick, increasing the likelihood that he will soon be moving on.

Portsmouth's executive chairman, Peter Storrie, has said Defoe wants a transfer and the striker is wanted by Tottenham Hotspur, his previous club, where he would rejoin the former Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp. Aston Villa are among other interested clubs.

"Jermain is not very well and a doctor is going round his house to assess him," said Adams. "Peter Storrie had a meeting with him last Wednesday, which I sat in on, and Jermain expressed a desire to leave. I think Peter is talking to a few clubs about him but the final decision will be mine and I have a price in mind of what I think he is worth. He is a superb player and a great goalscorer."

Tottenham do not intend to pay significantly more than the €9.4 million they got for Defoe from Portsmouth a year ago and are still owed about half that fee.

Defoe is unlikely to be considered for today's home game against Bristol City in the first game of Portsmouth's FA Cup defence and Adams was circumspect when asked how he felt about Defoe's desire to leave. "I'm not pleased because I want people to play for Portsmouth," he said. "I'm trying to find a positive as he's a fantastic player and one I don't want to lose." Asked if he thought Defoe would play for Portsmouth again, the manager replied: "I don't know."

Storrie has dismissed suggestions the club must sell several of their stars this month to balance the books as "a load of rubbish". The owner, Alexandre Gaydamak, is known to be open to offers but Storrie said: "The club is not in any financial difficulty."

Meanwhile, Aston Villa's manager Martin O'Neill last night criticised former referee Graham Poll for saying the response of his players to Steve Bennett's error in awarding an injury-time penalty at Hull City on Tuesday night was unacceptable and should have merited punishment. O'Neill said collectively confronting Bennett was "the most natural reaction in the world" from his players and expressed frustration at the "continuous rage" which has followed the match.

Hull have asked the Premier League to investigate the possibility there was a third party with access to a television monitor, something O'Neill claimed to know nothing about. The Villa manager reiterated the correct decision was ultimately made by Bennett, who reversed the penalty award, but remains aggrieved with Poll, who said: "Seeing a referee surrounded by seven Villa players protesting at a decision should appal us."