Portsmouth face a big January player sale, it has been revealed.

The News of the World says Pompey owner Sacha Gaydamak has been hit hard by the global credit crunch and could be forced to sell their most marketable assets - Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe and Lassana Diarra.

He could also decide to off-load high earners such as Sylvain Distin and Sol Campbell - but all this would rip apart the team carefully put together by boss Harry Redknapp.

His other option is to hope a mega-rich buyer will take up his £40m worth of shares, which are available for a down payment of £20m.