Portsmouth were considering their response last night to Sunderland’s bid of about £11 million for Peter Crouch.The forward has expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation at the club, with many out-of-contract players having left and uncertainty surrounding the proposed takeover by Sulaiman al-Fahim. Crouch scored 18 goals last season after his £11 million move from Liverpool.

Portsmouth are expected to reject Sunderland’s offer — which would earn them an additional £2 million in instalments — in the hope of forcing an auction for Crouch, who has been linked with Fulham and Blackburn Rovers.

Steve Bruce, Sunderland’s new manager, wants to make Crouch a statement signing, but also retains a firm interest in Darren Bent, who has been made available by Tottenham Hotspur. Bruce is expected to be a significant player in the transfer market this summer, with Richard Dunne a target, but Manchester City will allow him to leave only when they have signed a central defender.

They have tried unsuccessfully to sign John Terry and Joleon Lescott, from Chelsea and Everton respectively, but could revive interest in Kolo Touré, of Arsenal, or Matthew Upson, of West Ham United.

Decent bets

Aston Villa are monitoring Stewart Downing, the winger made available by Middlesbrough, but he will not have a pin removed from his injured foot until September. After relegation, Middlesbrough need to raise about £17 million in transfers this summer, which they could get from the potential sales of Downing, Tuncay Sanli and Afonso Alves, the forwards. Marcus Berg, who has been offered to several English clubs including Villa, is expected to join Hamburg.

Hull City’s hopes of completing a move for Fraizer Campbell could be scuppered by Sunderland. Manchester United had agreed to sell the forward for £6 million, but Newcastle United are also interested.

Ipswich Town have agreed an undisclosed fee with Sunderland for Dean Whitehead, the midfield player, and Daryl Murphy, the winger, both of whom will rejoin Roy Keane, their former manager.

Eldin Jakupovic is claimed to be joining Tottenham as a reserve goalkeeper from Lokomotiv Moscow, which could lead to Carlo Cudicini’s departure when Heurelho Gomes returns from international duty with Brazil.

Dead certs

Didier Zokora has signed a four-year contract with Seville, who paid up to £8.6 million for the midfield player who joined Tottenham three years ago.

Simon Cox has joined West Bromwich Albion from Swindon Town for an initial £1.5 million plus £400,000, depending on appearances and success, the first arrival since Roberto Di Matteo took charge. The 22-year-old has signed a two-year contract, with the option of a further two years.

Jerko Leko, the Monaco midfield player, has turned down a move to Wolverhampton Wanderers because they would not match his salary demands of £30,000 a week net.

West Ham United have signed Jack Lampe, the defender, from Harlow Town. Everton have signed Luke Garbutt, the 16-year-old left back, from Leeds United. Manchester United have confirmed the £3 million signing of Gabriel Obertan, the 20-year-old winger from Bordeaux, on a four-year contract.

Celtic have completed the signing of Marc-Antoine Fortuné from Nancy on a three-year contract. The 28-year-old French Guianese-born striker joins for an undisclosed fee, reportedly in the region of £3.8 million.

Long shots

Ludovic Obraniak, the French-born midfield player who wants to leave Lille, has been linked with West Ham.