Portsmouth FC and QPR shared £4.5m spoils after Aston Villa transfer swoop | OneFootball

Both clubs reaped rewards from the striker's 2002 move to Aston Villa.

Peter Crouch earned a Premier League move after his 18-goal First Division season with Portsmouth in 2001/02.

Aston Villa signed the striker for a reported £4.5m, as per The Guardian, with the deal going through 24 hours before the transfer deadline. The deal signalled Dion Dublin to join First Division side Millwall on loan.

The deal saw Portsmouth and Queens Park Ranges share the spoils of the transfer deal, with the Hoops receiving a chunk of the reported fee.

Portsmouth and QPR profited from Aston Villa swoop

In 2002, Crouch began what was to be a 17-year spell in the Premier League.

Having proven himself in the First Division, the Macclesfield-born centre-forward secured a move to top flight Aston Villa, for a reported £4.5m. According to The Guardian, the fee represented the highest figure spent by Villa's manager, Graham Taylor, in his 30 years of management.

Crouch had only spent one season at Fratton Park prior to his switch to Villa Park, scoring 18 league goals. Despite his exploits in front of goal, Pompey finished the season in 17th position.

According to The Guardian, QPR received £1m of the £4.5m that Villa paid for Crouch in 2002. The striker began his professional career with the Hoops and scored 10 league goals in his debut season before joining Pompey in 2001.

Although Crouch only spent one season at Loftus Road, QPR were sharp to agree a deal which saw them claim a future fee. As for Portsmouth, little did they know that they would rekindle their relationship with the striker seven years later.

Crouch's Villa troubles before achieving England and FA Cup dream

While many would have expected Crouch's career to continue to skyrocket, he faced difficult times before achieving success at club and international level.

His move to Villa Park was far from seamless. While the striker scored twice in seven games following his move, he failed to find the net for the entirety of the following season and was subsequently loaned to First Division side Norwich City.

With Villa unconvinced, the centre-forward joined Pompey's arch rivals Southampton in a move that reignited his career.

Crouch netted 16 goals in all competitions before making his England debut in a friendly against Colombia in May 2005. The number nine assisted Michael Owen, who scored a hat-trick to defeat Los Cafeteros 3-2.

The striker's exploits did not go unnoticed, and he secured a shock move to Liverpool that summer.

While Crouch was never prolific, he notched some key goals and assists during his debut season with the Reds.

In his first season at the club, Crouch achieved his dream of lifting the FA Cup, having provided an assist in Liverpool's penalty shoot-out win over West Ham United.

Peter Crouch returned to Fratton Park to form iconic double act

When Crouch comes to mind, so does Jermain Defoe.

Having spent three seasons at Anfield, the centre-forward completed a sensational return to Fratton Park, where he formed a legendary partnership with Defoe.

The little and large combination provided the perfect tonic for the South Coast side, providing them with 18 goals in their Premier League campaign.

Having won the FA Cup the previous season, Pompey enjoyed a spell playing in the UEFA Cup, with Crouch and Defoe notching six goals between them.

Unfortunately for Portsmouth fans, the partnership did not last long, with the duo both leaving for Tottenham Hotspur within six months of each other.

The pair rekindled their striking partnership and went on to further their successes with Spurs and on the international stage. Crouch ended his international career with an impressive 22 goals in 42 matches.

Crouch's move to Aston Villa kick-started his career, even if it was a move that was largely forgotten by football fans.

Following his spell at Villa Park, the striker forged a career at some of English football's most illustrious clubs, with stints at Liverpool and Spurs.

Having enjoyed 19 years in professional football, Crouch will be remembered for the impact he made at club and international level. For him, he was really thrust into the public eye with his move to Villa Park and truly never looked back.