Portsmouth manager Alain Perrin is keen to bring Newcastle winger Laurent Robert to Fratton Park.
Perrin sees Robert, 30, as a possible replacement for Patrik Berger, who was released at the end of last season.

But Pompey chairman Milan Mandaric may be deterred by the £4m price tag Newcastle have placed on Robert.

Perrin told BBC Radio Solent: "We're looking for a left-sided player and Laurent is someone I would like to bring to the club."

The Pompey boss said: "We're looking for several players, most of all a left-winger, a central defender and a centre-forward."

Despite his undoubted talents, Robert found it difficult to command a regular first-team at Newcastle under boss Graeme Souness, with whom he has had a difficult relationship.

Robert declared after Newcastle's final game of last season against Chelsea that it was his last for the club.

He started just 20 Premiership games last season, and many of his appearances were from the substitutes bench.

Former Newcastle boss Sir Bobby Robson signed Robert from French club Paris St Germain in August 2001 and he still has a year left on his contract.

Meanwhile, Perrin could be taken to an industrial tribunal in France by his former club Troyes.

Troyes claim Perrin owes them £700,000 as part of an agreement when they allowed him to terminate his contract early in order to take over at Marseille.