Portsmouths administrators have been given permission by the Premier League to sell players before the summer transfer window as they attempt to raise money to ensure that the club are able to fulfil their fixtures.
However, any players sold to Barclays Premier League clubs will not be allowed to play for their new employers this season and Portsmouth will hope to negotiate lease-back deals with buyers that allow the players to see out the season at Fratton Park.
Players may be sold to a Football League or foreign club, subject to Fifas approval, a Premier League statement read. Portsmouth FC may enter into an agreement with another Premier League, Football League or foreign club that a player will be transferred to that other club in the summer.
The Premier League has made this unprecedented concession to help the club to stay in business partly because of its obligations to its members and partly to avoid the negative impact of one of its clubs going broke. Once Portsmouth accepted the deduction of nine points for entering administration, the League offered what assistance it could by entering negotiations for an advance of television money and parachute payments as well as making yesterdays announcement.
Related LinksPortsmouth face fine for rules breachPortsmouth deny Dowie happy returnPortsmouth"s magical minute breaks HullThe difficulty is that other Premier League clubs may be reluctant to pay full market value for players who will not be able to represent them this season. It is also doubtful that many of the present bottom-of-the-table squad will prove attractive at the sort of prices that Portsmouth would like to realise.
Nadir Belhadj, the Algeria left back, is probably the most saleable asset, with a value near to the 4.4 million that Portsmouth paid for him in January 2009. Marc Wilson, the Ireland defender, and Kevin-Prince Boateng, the Ghanaian midfield player, are also possible targets, although Portsmouth will do well to get the figures of 4 million that have been mentioned.
John Utaka and David Nugent may also attract bids, but well below the 6 million that each cost the club in the summer of 2007. Tommy Smith could return to the Coca-Cola Championship for about 1 million, but David James, who turns 40 in August, is probably too old to net a large fee.
Just as well that Andrew Andronikou, the lead administrator, is not relying on the new opportunity. This has effectively given us an option if we need it, but at this moment I want to emphasise were not necessarily going to sell players, he said. Were in an FA Cup semi-final, which were looking forward to, and thats given us working capital to play with.
A Premier League statement read: The Premier League Board meeting that convened last week to consider the administration of Portsmouth FC dealt with a number of matters beyond just the application of the sporting sanction (deduction of nine points).
In accordance with Premier League rules, postponement of the suspension of Portsmouth FC as a member Club was conditional on a number of undertakings being given by the administrators. These have now been received to the satisfaction of the Board and therefore it has decided to allow Portsmouth FC to make player sales under the following circumstances:
1. Players may be sold to other Premier League Clubs but may not play first team football for the new club before the end of the season.
2. Players may be sold to a Football League or foreign club, subject to Fifas approval.
3. Portsmouth FC may enter into an agreement with another Premier League, Football League or foreign club that a player will be transferred to that other club in the summer.
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