Appy not expecting Kanu back

Pompey believe controversial striker Kanu has now quit the club.

The 35-year-old failed to turn up for the start of pre-season training last week and later submitted a multi-million pound claim to the Football League.

His barrister, Samuel Okoronkwo, claimed the figure was in respect of wages and bonuses owed stretching back to when he joined the Blues in 2006.

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Having not been paid at the end of last season, Kanu and his team-mates are entitled to walk out on the club by handing in a 14-day notice, effectively ripping up their contract.

That appears to have been the case with the Nigerian, with administrator Trevor Birch stating last week: ‘Kanu has effectively indicated his intention to leave the club’.

And Blues boss Michael Appleton does not expect to see the former Arsenal man back at Fratton Park.

He said: ‘I am under the impression that Kanu has left the club – as far as I am aware his agent has put his notice in.

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‘There have been that many things said and toing and froing, I am not actually sure what is going on with him to be honest.

‘He wasn’t here on the first day of pre-season. I haven’t seen him since.

‘I’ve tried to get hold of him on the phone, he hasn’t come back to me and as far as I am concerned we move on.

‘It is up for the administrator to deal with. It’s a shame but that’s the path Kanu has chosen to go down and so be it.’

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Hayden Mullins and Aaron Mokoena both left Fratton Park last week as Birch continues in his attempts to reduce the wage bill.

More are set to follow this week, with Luke Varney and David Norris close to moves away.

Appleton added: ‘Hayden has probably done the right thing for himself as well as the club.

‘Myself, Trevor, the agents, the players – we have to work together and be sensible and, at the end of the day, hopefully the majority will get careers elsewhere and earn good money.

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‘As long as they are sensible with the compromise in between then I cannot see it being the problem.

‘The most appropriate word to use is “sensible” and Hayden looks as though he has done that and got his move to Birmingham.

‘He will be a happy man and hopefully he will move on from the whole thing.’

– NEIL ALLEN