Pompey set to take £1.5m hit

Portsmouth are prepared to take a £1.5million loss on out-of-favour winger John Utaka - who is wanted back by Rennes.

The club are believed to have slapped a £5.5million price-tag on the head of the pacy Nigerian who signed from Rennes for over £7million in the summer of 2007.

Utaka has made just a handful of starts this season and last appeared for the club back in November as his form has dipped alarmingly from the standards set in his first season.

Rennes are keen to take him back but his wages will be a problem and a loan deal may be the only way to get him off the payroll for the rest of the season and put him back in the shop window.