Villa lead race to sign Kaboul - Harry

Villa are favourites to sign Tottenham defender Younes Kaboul, according to Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp.

Pompey had seemed the French centre-back’s most likely destination but Redknapp now fears Villa’s greater spending power will price him out of a deal, although he claimed the 22-year-old would still prefer a move to Fratton Park.

He said: “I would like a centre-half. Younes Kaboul wants to come here, but I heard he is going to Villa. I don’t think there is anything he can do about it.

“If Villa are in for him he may have to go there. We made an offer with what we thought was a fair valuation but if we want some new players in, we also need to sell a few.”

Either way, the £8.3m Auxerre signing’s stay at White Hart Lane seems certain to last just a season, with Spurs boss Juande Ramos keen to sell to raise funds to land former Villa target David Bentley.

Redknapp’s revelation will surely infuriate Villa boss Martin O’Neill, whose interest in the player had remained a secret until now.

Sunderland had appeared to represent Pompey’s main rival for Kaboul following Roy Keane’s quadruple bid for him, Teemu Tainio, Pascal Chimbonda and Steed Malbranque last week.

Kaboul’s agent Rudy Raba pulled no punches in his assessment of the chances of a move to the north-east.

He said: “Younes wouldn’t join Sunderland even if there was an earthquake. We have more interesting options than Sunderland. Don’t even think about it.”

That leaves it to O’Neill and Redknapp to fight it out, with Pompey having already shelled out £11m to land Peter Crouch. They are also keen on Chelsea’s £10m-rated Shaun Wright-Phillips, the Pompey boss will have to sell before he can buy.

The purse strings are much looser at Villa Park, where O’Neill has so far spent just £5m to land Steve Sidwell and about £1m on Brad Guzan.

O’Neill is desperate to beef up his threadbare squad for a new season, which could also involve the rigours of a punishing European schedule, should Villa progress past Odense BK and win their UEFA Cup second qualifying round. He currently has just two fit centre-backs.