Portsmouth sign Kaboul from Tottenham

Tottenham defender Younes Kaboul on Monday signed for FA Cup winners Portsmouth on a four-year contract, the south coast club said.

The 22-year-old passed the medical and, wearing the number three shirt, could make his debut on Sunday in the first Premiership match of the season against Chelsea. No transfer fee was disclosed.

The former Auxerre player, who arrived in North London in the summer of 2007, never imposed himself at Spurs and chose Portsmouth ahead of other clubs chasing him, Sunderland and Aston Villa.

“It wasn't a difficult choice to make coming here. Everyone in the papers was saying I was going to Sunderland or Aston Villa but I only ever wanted to come here,” Kaboul told www.portsmouthfc.com.

“As soon as I knew they were interested I said: `I want to come to Pompey.'

“I came here because the manager has wanted me for two years. I met him two years ago when I was at Auxerre and I like the man because he gives you confidence.”

Kaboul refused to accept he was taking a step down by moving from London to the FA Cup winners, and suggested his new employers would beat Tottenham to a place in the Premier League's top five.

“It's a good opportunity for me because the club has a lot of ambition,” he said. “I think Pompey are a top-five Premier League side and I believe I can achieve what I want to achieve at this club. “We've got the UEFA Cup as well and I want to go a long way in that.”