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Cole loan move to Championship flyers confirmed
Former Manchester United and Newcastle striker Andy Cole has joined Championship promotion hopefuls Birmingham City in a deal that will last until the end of May, leaving Cole at Birmingham until after the Championship playoffs. Signed during the summer window from Manchester City, Cole has never really become a first team regular, partly due to injury but mostly due to Kanu’s early season form and has only managed nine starts so far this season.
"Andy came to see me and said: 'Harry, I'm 35, I want to be playing all the time'," Redknapp admitted.
"I understand where Andy's coming from. He wants to play regularly. He's one of those guys who want’s to be starting every game. And you've got to respect him for that.
"If he feels like that, you can't stand in his way. He's not happy to just sit back and take his money. But it's been difficult fitting him into the team every week with the other strikers we've got.
"Birmingham want to take over his contract until May 30, which covers the play-offs. He's going on loan until the end of the season, but has another year here.
"So it all depends on what happens at Birmingham and what he wants to do."
Birmingham manager Steve Bruce said: "We are hopeful of getting Andy on loan for the rest of the season. It is not done yet but we’ve had talks and are hopeful of tying it up if we can sort out one or two loose ends.
"I played with Andy at Manchester United - although it was a long time ago - and he is a top, top professional who looks after himself. That’s why he is still a Premiership player at 35 to 36.
With Cole possibly being allowed to leave, it would certainly mean that Toddy is unlikely to move as well, as that would leave Pompey very light in the striker department.
With Cole having a year left on his Portsmouth contract could this move leave him surplus to requirements at the end of the season? If we are loaning him out now because he can’t get a starting place is he more likely to next season when I'm sure we will get in more strikers.
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