• Premier League

Portsmouth ask for permission to sell players

ESPN Soccernet staff
February 18, 2010
Nadir Belhadj could be used as a fund-raising sale © Getty Images
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FIFA has confirmed that it has received a request from the English Football Association to allow Portsmouth to sell players outside the transfer window to secure their future.

ESPNSoccernet can reveal that Pompey urgently need to raise £4 million to pay this month's wages and to resolve more cash-flow issues, and they have appealed to the Premier League to be allowed to bring in funds via the transfer market.

However, Soccernet understands it would have to be approved by not only the Premier League, but the Football Association and FIFA as well. It is difficult to know just how feasible it would be.

Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie told Soccernet: "Of course we don't want to sell any more players, but we have no choice. Of course Avram Grant still believes he can keep us up, so he doesn't want to sell any more players. But if it's a question of survival or selling, there clearly is no choice.

"We have some immediate cash-flow issues to resolve, and we are hoping for a positive reaction from the Premier League to our request to open up the window for us."

Rather than the non-starter idea of the Premier League asking all its clubs for permission to fast forward TV monies, it can evoke a special clause in its constitution to allow transfers outside of the January window - provided it is a genuine emergency. However, there remain many questions about how FIFA would react to this, and whether or not players that are sold will actually be able to play again before the 2010-11 season.

Premier League rules state that clubs are only allowed to sign goalkeepers on an emergency basis outside of the transfer window. In December 2006, Aston Villa signed Gabor Kiraly on loan from Crystal Palace and he played in a 1-0 home defeat to Bolton Wanderers.

Selling players outside allowed transfer periods in order to secure a club's survival is nothing new, although it has always been the case that the buying club has been barred from playing their new signing.

In April 1997, Hull City were allowed to sell Roy Carroll to Wigan Athletic for £350,000 even though the transfer deadline had passed. That money saved the Tigers from going out of business, though the goalkeeper was not permitted to play for the Latics that season.

The south-coast club are tottering on the brink of administration, maybe even liquidation, which would mean re-writing the Premier League table. Portsmouth's results would be expunged from the record, and this would have implications at both ends of the table. Liverpool would be delighted, given they lost at Fratton Park back in December, but West Ham would be plundged into the relegation zone again as the four points they have picked up against Pompey are wiped out.

To avoid such a complete mess and the knock-on effect of other clubs complaining the Premier League is ready to take one of the biggest decisions within its rules to allow Portsmouth to sell players while no other club can.

Soccernet believes that Pompey have already made the special request to the Premier league and it has reacted positively. While Avram Grant is shocked that he will lose another key player, and the club may only need to sell one player, they may have no choice if they are to survive. Already it is looking increasingly unlikely that Pompey can survive, although Grant has remained positive, but with another player or two being sold, the chances of him avoiding the drop appears improbable.

Pompey almost sold Algeria World Cup star Nadir Belhadj, midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng and young defender Mark Wilson before the deadline closed, but for Portsmouth the window is about to re-open. Belhadj has been a success and is the most likely to be sold off, but it seems unlikely he would accept a transfer if that means he is unable to play again before the finals in South Africa. If FIFA block registrations, then Belhadj would not even be able to play reserve team football for his new club.

Boateng is an attractive option but the former Spurs midfielder has already played for two clubs. FIFA have been very strict with their "two clubs in one season" rule, and Boateng played for Tottenham against Doncaster Rovers in the Carling Cup last August.

Portsmouth put in their Statement of Affairs to the High Court moments before the 4pm deadline on Wednesday, and are submitting more information on Thursday. That follows Portsmouth becoming first club to be formally declared "insolvent" by accountants in their statement to the courts. Pompey are taking measures to prove they are solvent, including the sale of a player outside of the window.

The ailing club need to address their cash flow crisis with £4 million now and then try to pay off the Revenue, in part at least, when they next appear in the courts.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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