JAMES BEATTIE will be sold as soon as the January transfer window opens after telling Harry Redknapp he wants to quit St Mary's.

Beattie was left out of the Saints squad that lost 1-0 at Liverpool last night to stay rooted in the Premiership's relegation zone.

And Redknapp revealed after the game that the club's top scorer for the past two seasons didn't play because Saints didn't want him to get injured and possibly jeopardise a £6m-plus move.

Redknapp remains reluctant to lose Beattie but has been convinced he has to sell the England striker after the 26-year-old yesterday told him he wants to leave next month if the right offer comes along.

Three clubs - Aston Villa, Everton and Newcastle - have all been in contact with Redknapp to express an interest in signing Beattie, who before the start of this campaign had scored 41 league and cup goals in two seasons.

Two of the clubs have made firm offers with Villa believed to have tabled a bid of around £6.5m while Newcastle may favour a cash plus players swap deal involving Titus Bramble, Shola Ameobi or Darren Amrbose.

Redknapp, left, remarked: "I've had several clubs interested in James and I had a chat with him and said 'put your cards on the table, what do you want to do?'

"He said he likes it here but if the opportunity comes he'd like to move on.

"I understand that and from my point of view if we get enough money for him it gives me the opportunity to strengthen the team in three or four positions - which is important and which I need to do if we are going to stay up.

"I've had a couple of offers and there's three clubs interested in him.

"They're decent offers, good money, and it gives me the chance to strengthen the team all round.

"You're better off having three or four new players than relying on just one."

He added: "The key is to do business early. I can't leave it until the middle of January.

"When I had a chat with him I felt if he's going to go it needs to be done by January 1 so it wasn't worth the risk (to play him at Anfield).

"We need to do some business and get the money in as soon as we can and give us the chance to get some players.

"Clubs have rung up and expressed an interest in him and made offers and the chairman (Rupert Lowe) will deal with that now.

"If they offer what he wants we will accept it then he (Beattie) can talk to whoever those teams are."

Despite the liklihood of Saints receiving a major cash injection, Redknapp still believes he faces a tough job signing the five players next month he insists the club needs to avoid the drop.

"It's not easy to find players because clubs don't want to let players go at this stage of the season," he said.

"Big clubs like Chelsea aren't going to sell fringe players."