On this day: Harry Redknapp admits Portsmouth needed to sell with not enough funds to sign Chelsea winger

Pompey’s transfer kitty had largely been wiped out by the £11m purchase of Peter Crouch.

Redknapp believed he didn’t have the money to maintain his pursuit of prime target Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Instead, he had to face up to the reality he must stage a fire-sale to bankroll any potential move for the Chelsea winger.

But rather than big-name players such as Niko Kranjcar and Lassana Diarra, it was his fringe players who will go under the hammer.

Sean Davis remained Redknapp’s most bankable asset and, with his contract up in less than 12 months time, had been linked with a host of clubs over the summer.

However, Pompey insisted no offer had been made.

Meanwhile, Djimi Traore was the subject of interest from Hull and any bid would not be deterred.

Phil Brown’s Premier League newcomers had already had an initial bid for Noe Pamarot rejected.

Only out-of-contract Franck Songo’o had left Fratton Park during the summer, but Redknapp knew others needed to follow if he was to strengthen.

He said: ‘We really need to shift one or two if we are going to raise some money to bring anyone else in now.

‘Crouchie’s in but now we need to find the money if we are going to try to finance another deal.

Sacha can’t keep putting his hand in his pocket for everything.

‘If we sold somebody, a couple of players we can afford to let go, then there’s one or two players I would love to bring in.

‘But unless we move one or two out it’s not possible. When you start talking about the type of players we are trying to bring in, no disrespect to Djimi, but his money doesn’t buy you Wright-Phillips.

‘You would like to have him for sure, but he’s good money and at the moment we haven’t got the money.

‘It’s not easy to shift people out, it’s hard. Someone has got to want them and unless you get good offers for people then they stay.

‘We’ve spent some money already this summer so money’s tight now, so it’s not easy.’

Redknapp remained adamant he didn’t want anyone to leave having assembled an impressive squad.

But he realised there could be no alternative.

He added: ‘There’s noone I’m desperate to get rid of. There’s no-one I look at and think "I don’t like seeing him every day".

‘They are a good lot of lads. But business is business. If you want to get a couple more in now we have got to generate a bit of money.’