Harry happy as Cole plumps for Pompey

Harry Redknapp has admitted he was ready to let former England striker Andrew Cole leave Fratton Park for a transfer deadline-day move to Everton just six months after joining Portsmouth.

The Pompey boss also insisted he was delighted when Cole turned down the idea of joining the club’s rivals in the race for a top-six Premiership place and Europe.

Everton, who have suffered recent injuries to £8.5m (€12.9m) England striker Andrew Johnson and Scottish international front-man James McFadden, are believed to have launched a bid for Cole, 35, yesterday.

West Ham and Newcastle have also been monitoring Cole’s situation at Pompey, where recently he has been making noises about needing a regular starting place after his £500,000 (€756,400) move from Manchester City in the summer.

Redknapp, who has promised the second-highest marksman in Premiership history every opportunity in the first team provided his form and goals warrant it, said: “Really, I just left the decision to him.

“I thought: ’It is his life and if he feels whatever he feels then so be it.’

“He just wants to play, as he has always been used to. That is what I like about him and he’s happy here. He wants to stay and play.

“Everton were the only ones to make a real approach – there was no contact from West Ham – but he is going nowhere.”

Cole was a late substitute for Kanu in the goalless draw against Middlesbrough on Tuesday after starting the four previous games.

He has scored four goals for Pompey after recovering from a knee operation at City last season and a bout of Achilles trouble, which kept him out for a spell in December.

He is likely to regain his place away to Wigan tomorrow and Redknapp admits he could have had a new team-mate if a deal for Fulham’s giant Senegal midfielder Papa Bouba Diop could have been agreed.

Redknapp wanted 6' 5" Diop at Pompey two years ago when the player, nicknamed The Wardrobe, chose to join Fulham instead in a £2.5m (€3.8m) move from French club Lens.

However, Diop has recently been injured and out of favour at Craven Cottage while Wigan also failed to agree terms with him this week.

Redknapp said: “I would have been interested in loaning him if it was the right deal, but we couldn’t even get close to it.”

Portsmouth signed Djimi Traore from Charlton, Lauren from Arsenal and Arnold Mvuemba from Rennes and sold midfielder David Thompson to Bolton in the January transfer window.

Redknapp added: “I didn’t chase anybody else too hard. I’m happy with the lads I have got.

“I also like little Thommo but he felt he wasn’t getting enough chances here and would be happier back with his family up north. I told him that was fair enough.”

Pompey know they must get back on the winning road at Wigan, who have lost their last nine games, after home league setbacks against Charlton (0-1) and Middlesbrough (0-0) either side of the FA Cup exit at Manchester United.

Redknapp said: “I hope people are not expecting too much just because we have had some success this season. They should look back to last year or even five years ago when they were looking at a lot of rubbish here.

“We have had only one dodgy result, against Charlton, but there are no easy games for us, really, and we have done well to be in the top six. We have 38 points now and that is as many as we got all last season.

“If that is not progress then I don’t know what is.”