Pompey reject Distin offer

Hart determined to hang on to defender

Last updated: 22nd July 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Pompey reject Distin offer

Distin: Staying at Pompey

Related links

Teams

Players

Also see

Portsmouth boss Paul Hart has confirmed a bid for Sylvain Distin has been rejected and insists the defender is staying at Fratton Park.

Distin is among a batch of players whose future had been uncertain in the lead-up to Sulaiman Al Fahim's takeover at the Premier League club.

Aston Villa have been linked with a bid for the centre-half, who has made over 90 appearances for Pompey since his arrival from Manchester City two years ago.

However, while Hart is resigned to losing Peter Crouch, he is not planning on letting French stopper Distin leave the club.

Staying

"We want Sylvain to remain at this football club and will be making sure he does," Hart told The News.

"We have only ever had one offer for him and I am not at liberty to say who from. But we told them we were not interested under any circumstances.

"At this moment in time, as far as we are concerned, Sylvain is staying. It's as simple as that."

Meanwhile, Hart has given former Nottingham Forest and Crewe Alexandra midfielder Eugen Bopp the chance to earn a contract at the club.

Bopp scored twice in a 2-2 friendly draw with Havant & Waterlooville and Hart is not ruling out a deal for the 25-year-old.

He added: "I brought Eugen over when I was Academy manager at Forest nine years ago and he's got an opportunity."