Stoke City to take Portsmouth keeper David James on loan

London: David James is trying to secure a loan move to Stoke City in a bid to escape a ludicrous situation at Portsmouth that could cost him his World Cup place.

The England goalkeeper has been fit to play Pompey's last two games after recovering from a calf injury but the crisis-hit club cannot afford to let manager Avram Grant select him.

According to sources at Fratton Park, a clause in the the 39 year old's contract means he is just nine or ten games away from an automatic one-year extension.

That would mean a commitment in the region of another £2 million (Dh12 million) for a football club that seems to be heading for administration after failing to pay its players on time for the last three months.

Fearful that the situation could leave him struggling to even secure a place in Fabio Capello's 23-man squad for South Africa, never mind the No 1 jersey, James is desperate to complete a loan move to Stoke.

Such a move would also suit the money men at Portsmouth and discussions between the parties concerned are now understood to be at an advanced stage. James is hoping to sign a loan until the end of the season before this weekend.

It amounts to a bold statement of intent by Stoke boss Tony Pulis who earlier this week tried to entice Ruud Van Nistelrooy away from Real Madrid on a similar temporary basis.

For James it is essential. The emergence of Joe Hart, on loan at Birmingham City, and the continued threat to his England hopes posed by West Ham's Robert Green make it crucial for James to secure regular first-team football.