THE reaction of Saints fans could prove the biggest stumbling block to the club signing ex-Pompey striker Peter Crouch.

Manager Paul Sturrock is weighing up a shock bid for the 23-year-old, but there are concerns at how he might be received by the St Mary's faithful.

Initial speculation said Crouch might cost £2m but reports this morning said the fee could be as low as £750,000 for the player who cost Aston Villa a whopping £5m when signed by Graham Taylor in March 2002. But website message boards are stuffed full of irate fans voicing their outrage at Saints potentially signing the former England Under-21 international.

One fan summed up the feelings of many when he said: "The money would be better spent giving Antti Niemi a better package, sorting out Michael Svensson's contract, paying the extra cash to get Mikael Nilsson over earlier than November and paying the money for DeMarcus Beasley. OK, Beasley is a risk but we already know Crouch can't do it in the Premiership."

Sturrock is known to be keen to add a 'big' striker to his squad to provide cover for James Beattie, as well as an additional option following the departure of Agustin Delgado.

At 6ft 7in tall, Crouch certainly fits that criteria and would be the tallest player in Saints' history.

Villa have today been linked with a move for Dutch international striker Patrick Kluivert and have also shown interest in Chelsea's Carlton Cole, who was on loan to Charlton for the 2003/04 campaign.

Crouch already has striking competition at Villa from Juan Pablo Angel, Darius Vassell, one-time Saints target Marcus Allback and Stefan Moore.

A source close to Villa Park has confirmed Saints' interest in Crouch. And the player's agent, Jon Barnett, this morning said: "There have been several offers but we are talking to one club in particular.

"Hopefully there will be a deal that will go through in the next few days.

"I don't want to pre-empt anything."

Crouch has yet to settle in the Premiership after a £5m move from Fratton Park, where he scored 19 goals in 39 First Division games.

Despite missing the final two months of the season after being sold on transfer deadline day, he was voted Pompey Player of the Season for 2001/2 and remains their highest ever sale.

Crouch, though, has only ever scored six top flight goals in 20 Villa starts plus 17 as a sub.

He didn't score in the Premiership at all between the final day of the 2001/02 season and last January, when he scored twice in a 5-0 win at Leicester.

Saints chairman Rupert Lowe admitted the club were looking to bring in a new striker.

He said: "We are aiming to bring in new faces and this is an area where were are looking to strengthen, but we do not comment on speculation."

Nick Illingsworth, chairman of the Southampton Independent Supporters' Association, said it WOULD be possible for Crouch to win over the Saints fans - but only with performances on the pitch.

He said: "Crouch is not particularly well regarded by Saints fans. He didn't even have a season at Pompey so it's not so much that he played there, more that he is unproven at Premiership level.

"He is just not a player that the fans particularly rate.

"If we are going to sign someone to put pressure on James Beattie then fair enough, but I'm just not sure he is the right man."

Illingsworth believes fans will also be concerned that a move for Crouch could indicate that Newcastle's rumoured interest in Beattie is not completely dead.

Crouch had a spell on loan at Norwich last season - scoring four goals in 14 matches - but the Premiership newcomers couldn't afford to sign him permanently.

He also scored four goals in ten Premiership starts for Villa.

In all, he has scored 41 goals in 144 appearances for QPR, Portsmouth, Aston Villa and Norwich since signing for the London club for £60,000 from Spurs in 2000.

Norwich were interested in signing Crouch permanently last season after a successful three-month loan spell - they fought off interest from Burnley and Ipswich to get him on loan. But they were scared off by the fact he is believed to be on at least £15,000 a week at Villa Park.

Norwich boss Nigel Worthington is still looking for a target man and has money available. But any Canaries interest could be held up by the fact Worthington & Co depart for a pre-season training camp in Malaysia tomorrow.