City boss Pearce hails Pompey’s Sol move as ‘signing of the season’

STUART PEARCE believes ace wheeler-dealer Harry Redknapp may have snapped up the signing of the season in Sol Campbell.

Unwanted at Arsenal at the end of last season, dumped by England coach Steve McClaren and with the trauma of his unexpected Highbury walkout still fresh in the mind, plenty of pundits had written Campbell off as a top-flight player.

Redknapp thought otherwise. And, while Pearce acknowledges it took a substantial portion of Alexandre Gaydamak’s vast fortune to lure the 31-year-old to Fratton Park, the Manchester City boss feels it will prove to be an astute move.

“Sol Campbell’s move to Portsmouth could end up looking like the signing of the season,” said Pearce. “We had them watched on Saturday and the report was Sol did really well. He has everything you want in a defender; size, experience, know-how and presence.

“A player of his ability probably had a lot of offers but, credit to Portsmouth, they have put the money down to pay his wages and it could work out well for them.”

Pearce’s City side will be looking to bounce back from their opening weekend defeat at champions Chelsea when Portsmouth travel north to the Eastlands Stadium tonight.

Last term, as Pompey struggled for survival, it was a fixture which seemed destined not to take place. However, having played under Redknapp at West Ham, Pearce was not surprised his wily old boss managed to drag the south-coast outfit to safety.

“I saw them lose at Aston Villa in March and thought they were in big, big trouble. But the one thing about Harry is that he is prepared to put his neck on the line,” said Pearce.

“He took a huge gamble in bringing about 12 players in during the transfer window. But, by speculating like that, he eventually got his team playing and probably saved the club something like £40 million.”