Pompey secure James signing

Portsmouth have completed the signing of goalkeeper David James from Manchester City in a £1.2million deal.

James' move from comes 48 hours after centre-half Sol Campbell made the switch from Arsenal to Fratton Park with both players being omitted from the England squad to face Greece next Wednesday by new England head coach Steve McClaren.

Pompey boss Harry Redknapp is delighted with both deals and, as with Campbell, he has handed James a two-year contract - not the three-year agreement that was widely expected.

James told City manager Stuart Pearce during the club's recent tour of the Far East that he wanted to leave Manchester for the south of England where his girlfriend and children live.

Pearce accepted the situation and agreed Pompey's offer before lining up Swedish keeper Andreas Isaksson from French club Rennes as a likely replacement.

Redknapp's need for an experienced man like James became more urgent when Pompey's number two keeper Jamie Ashdown was recently ruled out for at least six weeks with a broken thumb.

But Redknapp admitted: "I still think Jamo is the best goalkeeper in the country."

And he looks certain to displace Dean Kiely as Portsmouth's first choice even though the former Charlton man was a star of Pompey's great escape from relegation last season.

Redknapp believes the double signing of Campbell and James will be major bricks in the wall of a big revolution at Fratton Park. He said: "We are aiming to go places and these signings are a statement of intent by the club."

Redknapp will now turn his attention to signing a striker - and Nigerian ace Nwankwo Kanu looks favourite to be next man in at Pompey after being released by relegated West Brom at the end of last season.