Bolton boss Gary Megson wanted Jermain Defoe in his side rather than facing him when Portsmouth visit the Reebok Stadium on Saturday.

Megson confirmed he had "looked at" the former Tottenham striker when bidding to replace Chelsea-bound Nicolas Anelka in the January transfer window.

"We have, but probably every team in the country has done," Megson said.

"He is a fantastic talent and a great goalscorer. I'm not too sure many other clubs apart from Portsmouth would have been able to get him away from Tottenham.

"He's a London lad and I'm sure he is settled in that part of the world and going to Portsmouth I'm sure enables him to live where he still lives so it's not a big departure for him, whereas if he had come up north it would have been entirely different."