On this day: Portsmouth step up Kanu chase following striker's West Brom exit - but only after checking availability of Obafemi Martins, Diego Forlan, Jermain Defoe, Dirk Kuyt and Yakubu

The Nigerian striker was being lined up as Harry Redknapp’s striker frustration grew.

At the time, Pompey’s boss had been thwarted over a string of targets, with fears also growing over Benjani Mwaruwari’s fitness ahead of the new season.

A £9.5m bid for Obafemi Martins had not prised the striker from Inter Milan.

Redknapp dismissed his chances of landing Villareal’s Diego Forlan.

And that came after massive summer offers for Jermain Defoe and Yakubu Ayegbeni were rejected.

Redknapp watched Feyenoord’s Dirk Kuyt in a friendly at Reading the previous weekend but decided against a move for the £10m-rated striker.

Meanwhile, he also dismissed talk of a move for Ajax’s Klaas Jan Huntelaar.

Kanu was a free agent after parting company with West Brom at the end of the season.

Redknapp told The News: ‘We’re talking to Kanu and hope to get something done. He’s a clever footballer, a good player.

‘At the moment I’ve got only Toddy, and I can’t play him on his own up front.

‘Lualua is out for a while with his ankle injury, while Benjani’s thigh strain is dragging on.

‘That’s why I desperately need two strikers. We’re struggling.

‘We’ve made offers, but we’ve not been able to get the people we wanted.

‘I watched Reading against Feyenoord at the weekend, but there wasn’t really anything there for me.

'Dirk Kuyt is a good player, but he’s not what I’m looking for.

'At £10m, he’s a lot of money.

‘I like Obafemi Martins a lot, but he’s very expensive.

‘I like Diego Forlan, too. But it’s a bit like saying I like Steven Gerrard. Of course I do. But getting them is another thing.

‘There’s definitely nothing there on Klaas Jan Huntelaar, though.’

Benjani, who had missed the last few pre-season games, was a target for St Etienne.

But Redknapp said: ‘There’s no chance of Benji going anywhere. No chance.’