• Premier League

Portsmouth nowhere near a takeover

Andrew Andronikou insists Pompey will not be deducted 17 points in the Championship © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Pompey apply for licence to play in Europa League
  
• News: Grant looked down on me - Anelka
  
• News: Grant to make decision on Pompey future 'very soon'
  

FA Cup finalists Portsmouth are still no nearer finding a new owner, with administrator Andrew Andronikou admitting he has "given up" on the one group trying to buy the club.

Rob Lloyd's mysterious consortium is planning due diligence after the cup final against Chelsea, but Andronikou confessed that he has "given up" on that bid and is deeply concerned about who might be behind it.

Andronikou told Soccernet in the final part of a week-long series of exclusives in the build up to the final: "Do we have a new owner for the final? No, we don't. Are we any closer to a new owner? No, we're not.

"Rob Lloyd has informed us he will enter a period of due diligence on Monday, but quite frankly I have given up on this - it's been going on so long. Who are his backers? He keeps changing them, but your guess is as good as mine. I do not know who his backers are ... I hope he does!"

There have been suggestions that the debts are not quite as high as the £139 million last revealed by Soccernet, but in reality they could be significantly higher. The final total of liabilities is rapidly approaching £200 million if the £50 million Football League claim on pension funds is added to the equation.

Andronikou said: "We shall only have a more accurate picture of the final totals when the CVA is presented to the creditors on Friday."

It has also been suggested that the Football league will inflict a 17-point deduction on Pompey in the Championship if they fail to come out of administration.

"That is rubbish," Andronikou said. "It goes against natural justice and fair play and, in any case, we are planning to exit administration via the CVA."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.