Berkovic's wages too high for Portsmouth

Portsmouth have told Eyal Berkovic they cannot afford his £20,000-a-week wages.

The midfielder, 33, has handed in a transfer request at Manchester City and is hoping to team up again with Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp, his former boss at West Ham.

But Pompey chairman Milan Mandaric said: ' We do need another top-quality midfield player but you have to draw the line somewhere. We do not want to cripple ourselves.'

City are demanding a £750,000 fee for the Israeli. Redknapp added: 'I like Berkovic a lot but whether we could afford him is a different matter. The problem is that Manchester City want a fee and then there are the player's wages to consider.'

Redknapp is ready to take his pre-season spending to £ 2.75million with a £500,000 bid for Ajax's Norwegian international defender Andre Bergdolmo.

The Pompey manager, who has already signed six players this summer, said: 'Andre is a good player, a left-back who can play anywhere across the back four, and we really need a left- sided defender with Matty Taylor injured.

'He would not be expensive because he is coming to the end of his contract and is someone I am interested in speaking to.'

Bergdolmo, 31, said: 'There are six or seven clubs interested in me but a move to England would suit .'