Pompey rule out Diarra exit

And Fratton Park club quiet over link with Vieira

Last updated: 9th June 2008

Middlesbrough v Portsmouth Lassana Diarra George Boateng

Diarra: Important player

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Portsmouth have insisted that star midfielder Lassana Diarra is not for sale, while remaining tight-lipped on speculation linking them with a £4million move for Patrick Vieira.

Speculation concerning Diarra comes following the French international's impressive form since his £5million switch from Arsenal in January.

But Pompey chief executive Peter Storrie has insisted the player - currently on duty with the French side at Euro 2008 - will remain at Fratton Park next term.

He revealed he had met Spurs chairman Daniel Levy for dinner before the recent Premier League annual summer meeting in London, but Diarra was not mentioned.

Not for sale

Storrie told The News: "I've been at the Premier League meeting and have been with representatives of all the clubs.

"I had dinner with Daniel Levy from Spurs. If they were interested in Lassana Diarra, I think he may have mentioned something!

"Being that I'm up at this meeting with Spurs I might have had an insight into that.

"Lassana is one of our most important players, and only arrived at the club in January.

"He is not for sale and that is the end of it."

Storrie's stance on Diarra comes as the club have been linked to a £4million bid for another former Arsenal midfielder - Vieira.

The French captain is being linked with a move away from current club Internazionale following Jose Mourinho's arrival at the Italian champions.

Vieira

But a Pompey spokesman said: "We are being linked to one big name after another and it is bound to happen but we are still not commenting."

Storrie himself believes the club are progressing with their transfer targets, saying: "We are moving on with our targets. Things are progressing nicely and we would like to have them in when the players come back to training in July.

"The European Championships makes things more difficult, but we have concentrated more on players in the Premier League.

"We wouldn't rule out players outside of that in Europe as well as those playing in the Championship.

"But the quality has taken a big step up, so the players we are looking for now are of a higher quality."