Pompey fail in Baros bid

The Fratton Park outfit are desperately scouring the market for a new striker to bolster their attacking options.

Pompey have seen their striking options decimated with Jason Roberts ending his loan spell from West Brom to join Wigan, Yakubu Aiyegbeni going on international duty in the African Cup of Nations and duo Svetoslav Todorov and Vincent Pericard still on the sidelines.

Harry Redknapp has admitted he is unlikely to be able to lure Francis Jeffers to Fratton Park and switched his attentions to Czech ace Baros.

Baros is close to returning to action after almost five months out with a broken leg and is expected to have a run-out in the reserves later this month.

Portsmouth were hoping to persuade Liverpool to loan him out so that he can regain his fitness, but Reds chief executive Rick Parry flatly rejected their request.

"I went straight to the horse's mouth and asked if they would be interested in loaning him out. But they said no," said Pompey chief executive Peter Storrie.

Portsmouth's striking problems have increased with the news that Deon Burton faces surgery on a knee injury.

The former Derby ace picked up the knock in training and he joins the ever increasing injury list at Fratton Park.

"I went over in training last Wednesday and I tried training today (Thursday) but it was no good so I have been booked in for an operation," Burton told the club's official website.

"Given our striking options at the moment the timing is awful."