Portsmouth vice-captain Sylvain Distin has urged the club's new owners to tie down the 17 players coming off contract at the club.

The likes of Peter Crouch, Niko Kranjcar, Glen Johnson and Distin himself have all been linked with exits.

That's on top of Sean Davis, Sol Campbell, Kanu, Hermann Hreidarsson and the host of out-of-contract players whose futures are still to be resolved.

He told The News: "What I feel is we've done our job, which was to keep Portsmouth in the Premier League and keep our Premier League status. Now it's up to the club to do their part of the job, and make sure the players who came to compete in the top eight can stay here and do that.

"We want to compete there and not against relegation, because it's not enjoyable at all. Every club needs stability and you can see that every club which is successful has that.

"They have managers and players who have remained there, and they have not really changed their ways. And they always improve their squad.

"That is what we have to do."