Portsmouth win race to sign Nugent

Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp is looking for David Nugent to reach double figures in his first season in the Premier League after winning the race to sign the England striker.

Pompey are thought to have agreed a fee somewhere in the region of £6 million with Preston North End for the 22-year-old, who was also linked with Sunderland and Everton.

Redknapp said: "I am delighted to get him and I'll be even more delighted if he can get into double figures with his goals for us this season.

"The days of strikers scoring 40-odd goals in a season like Clive Allen are long gone and so we are putting no pressure on David but every time I have seen him play he has done well.

"I think it gives a sign of how far we've come. We've signed Sylvain Distin, Hermann Hreidarsson, Muntari and now Nugent this summer. We are full of quality."

Redknapp has also signed Nigerian striker John Utaka from French club Rennes - both Nugent and Utaka have signed four-year deals.

Meanwhile, Roy Keane has agreed a £5 million deal with Cardiff to buy striker Michael Chopra while Rangers boss Walter Smith is delighted to have agreed terms with Wigan to sign Scotland international Lee McCulloch.

© Independent Television News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.

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