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Andronikou retains hope that Portsmouth can be saved

Andrew Andronikou is still positive about striking a deal © Getty Images

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Portsmouth administrator Andrew Andronikou remains hopeful that a deal can be struck to save the club from liquidation.

The club's administrators issued a statement on Friday evening claiming they were on the brink of winding up the club after failing to strike a deal with former owner Sacha Gaydamak.

"At the 11th hour the goalposts have been moved by Mr Gaydamak and this has now made the deal impossible to complete," read a section of the statement. Gaydamak has hit back at the claims, with the Russian saying he failed to sign the deal as the terms of the agreement had been fundamentally changed.

The administrators have until Tuesday to strike a deal and Andronikou is hopeful the parties can sit down and thrash out an agreement that is suitable to all.

"I am still hopeful we can sit down over the next 24 hours and agree a way forward," he said. "This is a matter that has high emotion as the club is very close to the city but I want to emphasise that in 24 hours we will be back on track and hopefully we can get this matter finally concluded.

"We are as close to coming out of administration as going into liquidation. It is a fine balance and I want to say as little as possible at the moment.

"I need consent from all parties. Mr Gaydamak is an integral part of this process as he is a secured creditor.

"We need to get closure by Monday or Tuesday. We have been running with this for the last week or two.

"The foundations have been laid, we have the agreement of generally all parties and we have one final obstacle to clear.

"At some point we have to make a decision as to whether there is a way forward. We have to deal with the problem at hand. But I am fully confident that we will get a solution on this matter."

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