EPL consider ‘new information’ from Pompey

Portsmouth were left waiting to discover Tuesday if their transfer embargo would be lifted by the English Premier League after presenting officials with “new information”.

Portsmouth – who lifted the FA Cup in 2008 but have seen most of that squad leave since – are four points adrift at the bottom of the Premier League.

But manager Avram Grant has been unable to purchase new players thus far during the January transfer window after being placed under an embargo by league chiefs regarding unpaid fees to other clubs from previous deals.

Now there is a suggestion that the seven million pounds in television revenue Portsmouth were due to receive from the Premier league will now be distributed direct to other clubs.

A Premier League spokesman said after Tuesday’s meeting: “Portsmouth have provided the Premier League board with new information regarding their outstanding debt to other football clubs.

“The Premier League board will now consider this new information and make a decision in due course.”

Portsmouth face legal action from British tax authorities over alleged unpaid bills in a move that has the potential to force the club out of business while chief executive Peter Storrie, former manager Harry Redknapp and former chairman Milan Mandaric are all being pursued separately over allegations of unpaid tax.

Before the campaign started, Portsmouth were hampered by the protracted takeover of the club by the UAE-based Sulaiman Al-Fahim from former owner Alexandre Gaydamak.

Fans who were led to believe that Al-Fahim would invest heavily in the club were stunned when, in a matter of weeks, he relinquished control to Al-Faraj.

However, he has struggled to raise the funds to cope with Portsmouth’s mounting debts, with Gaydamak alone saying he is still owed nearly 30 million pounds by the club.