POMPEY LINE UP McCORMACK

Portsmouth manager Paul Hart has moved to fill the gap by gap left by the sale of Peter Crouch by making an approach to Cardiff about striker Ross McCormack.

Crouch was reunited with former Pompey boss Harry Redknapp at Tottenham in a £9million deal on Monday.

Hart is exploring a number of options - he has also been linked with Croatia striker Nikola Kalinic - and Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie has enquired about Scotland international McCormack.

The Bluebirds have refused to comment on the approach but are believed to be prepared to allow the 22-year-old McCormack - top-scorer with 23 goals last season - leave for £5m.

DOUBLE PURSUIT FOR HART

Portsmouth manager Paul Hart has confirmed his interest in Croatia striker Nikola Kalinic and former Liverpool full-back Steve Finnan.

Pompey are looking for replacements for England internationals Peter Crouch, who moved to Tottenham on Monday, and Glen Johnson, who was sold to Liverpool last month.

The 21-year-old Kalinic currently plays for Hajduk Split and reports on Tuesday suggested he is on the verge of a £5.5million transfer, although Hart refused to speculate on that.

Finnan agreed a release package with Spanish side Espanyol on Monday to cut short his contract just a year after leaving Anfield for Barcelona's second club.

"Steve Finnan is one of many people we are interested in. As is Nikola Kalinic," said Hart.

"Steve is a quality player and if you saw my list you could probably see a few more quality players there.

"He's a very experienced player, like many others on the list."

Although Portsmouth had to sell Crouch to balance the books at Fratton Park, Hart stressed he was determined to hang on to the likes of Sylvain Distin and David James, although he was less certain about the future of Nadir Belhadj, who is a reported target for Hull.

"I don't think we will be selling either Sylvain or David. They are here, they are contracted so I'm not expecting them to leave," he told The News in Portsmouth.

"I have seen what has been said about Belhadj and I don't know anything about that.

"I said players could be sold. It would be wrong to talk about certain players. Nadir is a quality player - but let's see what happens."

HART WANTS DISTIN TO STAY

Portsmouth boss Paul Hart is hopeful experienced defender Sylvain Distin will sign a new deal with the club.

The Frenchman, who has made over 90 appearances for Pompey since his arrival from Manchester City two years ago, has just a year left on his contract and the Fratton Park outfit recently rejected a bid for the player.

Aston Villa have been linked with the centre-half but Hart is keen to keep the player, telling Sky Sports News that he is hoping Distin will sign a new contract soon.

"I think we are in talks with him and he is a great player, a great lad, a great leader so we don't want him to go anywhere," said Hart, who added he expected new faces into the club soon, but ruled out any big money signings.

"There won't be any big money - I have been trying to make that clear for the last two weeks, there won't be that big money, it's a myth," he added.

"Only time will tell if such money will be spent in the January transfer window.

"But certainly not in this window."

Hart agreed the squad needed reinforcing before the start of the season, saying: "Yeah, but we've always realised that - we've got our targets and we have been very patient and we are pushing fowards, so in the next two weeks or so there will be new faces I'm sure."