• FA Cup

Pompey plan Lens talks over Dindane

ESPN Soccernet staff
April 12, 2010
Aruna Dindane would cost Pompey £4m if he plays in the FA Cup final © Getty Images
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Portsmouth administrator Andrew Andronikou will seek a direct meeting with RC Lens president Gervais Martel to plea for Aruna Dindane to play in the FA Cup final at Wembley.

Dindane, on loan from the French Ligue 1 club, played his 21st game of the season as Pompey beat Tottenham 2-0 in the semi-final on Sunday, and his 22nd game would trigger a £4 million 'bullet payment'.

Cash-strapped Portsmouth simply cannot pay the fee, but Andronikou says it would be a real shame if the Ivorian striker was denied his place in May's final.

Andronikou told Soccernet: "The only solution is for me to contact the Lens president. I've had several meetings with Lens and it has got nowhere.

"They are in a cul-de-sac and you cannot communicate with them anymore. It's impossible. The only chance will be a direct plea to their president to see sense for the player's sake. There has to be a sensible solution to allow the guy to play in the FA Cup final.

"There are a number of clubs interested [in Dindane] and Blackburn wanted to buy him, but they will not pay £4 million - maybe they will now after the way he played against Spurs.

"But I cannot gamble on paying Lens the £4 million in the hope that a club will then pay us £4 million back. That cannot happen."

Andronikou is confident that Portsmouth manager Avram Grant will have a full squad to choose from for the final against Chelsea, despite similar bullet payment issues with a number of players.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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