Al Fahim determined to revive Portsmouth

Portsmouth owner Sulaiman Al Fahim has revealed he plans to use a 50 million pound (54 million euro) cash injection to revitalise the beleaguered Premier League club.

By the time Abu Dhabi-based tycoon Al Fahim completed his protracted takeover of the Fratton Park outfit in August, several key players – including England internationals Peter Crouch and Glen Johnson – had been sold in a bid to ease mounting debts.

That left manager Paul Hart struggling to rebuild his squad before the transfer window closed and his patchwork side have made the worst start by an English top-flight club for 79 years, suffering seven successive defeats.

But Al Fahim on Monday issued a statement on the club’s official website, indicating that a major investment should be concluded in the coming days.

“I can assure supporters that there is a plan in place backed by firm commitments that will bring 50 million pounds into Portsmouth Football Club over the next two to three weeks,” Al Fahim said.

“As the owner, I am the first to understand that the club’s financial situation is of great concern to everyone associated with Portsmouth Football Club.

“But I am confident that the club’s finances will be fully stabilised over the next few weeks and we can move the club forward.

“Our priority at this stage is to ensure that we stay in the Premier League and we must focus on this. If we pull together and apply the necessary effort, we will see team performances improve and we will move up the Premier League. We are still at an early stage of the season.

“I will invest prudently in players and infrastructure and I will ensure that Portsmouth Football Club remains loyal to its values, in particular through its engagement with the local community.”