Portsmouth drop Aruna Dindane from squad to face Chelsea to avoid £4m bill

24 March 2010 14:27
Dindane has scored seven times in 20 matches for Portsmouth during their troubled season, including a hat-trick against Wigan last autumn, but did not feature in the match-day squad for Saturday's 3-2 defeat of Hull City.[LNB]The forward has similarly been left out of Portsmouth's squad to face Chelsea tonight and will not be considered for any future games.[LNB] Related ArticlesPortsmouth given green light to sell playersPortsmouth v Chelsea: match previewPortsmouth players save ground staff jobsChainrai drops Portsmouth payment claimPortsmouth fined by Premier LeaguePremier League tableThe clause in Dindane's loan deal stipulates that should he play a designated number of games for Portsmouth the club would have to make his move permanent and pay a £4m transfer fee.[LNB]'Arena didn't play because there is a clause in the contract,' said Grant.[LNB]'I don't know how many games it is, but if he plays one more game, we have to pay around £4m to his team.[LNB]'At the moment, Portsmouth cannot pay even four [pounds].'[LNB]With Dindane hopeful of a World Cup place with Ivory Coast this summer, Grant was hopeful that he would be released from Portsmouth to get matches under his belt between now and the summer.[LNB]'The season is finished from the target point of view, so for him, I think it will be better to play for his club. If they will not let him do it, I will be very surprised,' said Grant.[LNB]'His agent is trying to deal with our club and their club. But I think we have to do what's good for the boy now rather than the team.[LNB]'This is just one more thing to deal with. I like problems on the pitch and dealing with them in the team, but I don't like this kind of thing.'[LNB][LNB]

Source: Telegraph