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No compensation clause in Grant's contract

Avram Grant has led Portsmouth to the FA Cup final this season © Getty Images

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Avram Grant has no compensation clause in his contract and will be free to walk out on Portsmouth after the FA Cup final to potentially join West Ham United as successor to axed manager Gianfranco Zola.

Reports claimed that Portsmouth will still demand £1.8 million for their manager and administrator Andrew Andronikou has spelt out the full facts of Grant's future, with Pompey's Wembley Cup final destined to be his final game for the stricken club.

Andronikou will battle to persuade Grant to stay, but he is fighting a losing battle, which now all depends on whether West Ham co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold follow through with plans to make an official approach for the Israeli.

All the indications are that Grant, relegated with Pompey, will accept the offer to leap straight back into the Premier League.

Andronikou told Soccernet in an exclusive interview: "Avram has no break clause in his three year contract, nor is there any fixed compensation, but clearly we would be seeking compensation if he left us. But we are not thinking about that as we are not planning to lose him.

"As yet, we have had no approach from West Ham, at least there has been no direct contact and nor would we welcome any because we are aiming for stability for this club over the next year, and we see Avram as the manager to give us that stability.

"It is critically important for the club that it keeps its manager, and of course, it goes without saying that we want him to stay.

"After the Cup final we shall sit down and try to persuade him to stay, and for the moment he is in discussions with us."

Talks have already taken place with Grant, but the signs are not good, as Andronikou confessed: "He wants to know about the club's future financial security, and he wants as much security as he can. I am confident we can show him future stability and that will persuade him to stay."

But without any sign of a new owner, the club still in administration and penniless Pompey about to unload as many players as they can, the future looks grim for Grant.

Soccernet broke the story last month that Grant was on West Ham's short list to replace Zola. The Hammers owners have been impressed by the way Grant has managed Pompey on a shoestring budget all the way to the FA Cup final, as West Ham also have huge debts they need to manage.

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