Saints play down Phillips talk

Southampton have moved to deny talk that has suggested Portsmouth are ready to table a bid for Kevin Phillips.

Portsmouth have been strongly linked with a raid on their South Coast rivals - with a possible swap deal involving Ricardo Fuller having been mooted.

Saints boss Harry Redknapp is reported to have spurned this offer but would be interested in a similar deal involving Diomansy Kamara.

Celtic, Sunderland and Aston Villa are also thought to be in the running for Phillips, but as yet, Saints chairman Rupert Lowe believes such talk is mere speculation.

''It is tittle tattle,'' Lowe told the club's official website.

''We have not heard anything from Portsmouth at all.''

Phillips' agent Jon Smith has confirmed that his client is certainly not short of suitors for the new campaign.

''Six or seven clubs want Kevin,'' conceded Smith. ''But it is still early days.

''I think there will be some movement with Kevin in the next two or three weeks.''