Al-Fahim plans new era

28 May 2009 16:51
Prospective Portsmouth owner Dr Sulaiman Al-Fahim has told fans he intends to 'build a great football club in the years to come'. Pompey announced on Wednesday they had accepted an offer from the Dubai-based billionaire to buy the South Coast club. A period of due diligence will now take place but Al-Fahim's takeover from current owner Alexandre Gaydamak is expected to be completed next week. And Al-Fahim is looking forward to a bright future at Fratton Park, telling arabianbusiness.com: "Everything I have seen makes me sure that we can build a great football club in the years to come. "Portsmouth has incredible history, and its fans are some of the most loyal in the world of football. "I look forward not just to working with them, but listening to their views on how they want to take the club forward. "I am the investor, but this is their club and their community - and it is a privilege to be taking charge." Al-Fahim brokered the buy-out of Manchester City for Abu Dhabi United Group last summer but states his involvement should not be a concern. "Since immediately after the deal in September 2008 I have no longer been involved with Man City, even though I admire the club and the team," he said. "After Man City I was looking for another attractive club in the Premier League - which we found in Portsmouth." Al Fahim is backed by a team of investors in his attempts to purchase Portsmouth and has insisted his input is his alone and not connected to Hydra, whose business is affected by the credit crunch. He said: "Let me be very clear in saying that my involvement in Portsmouth has nothing to do with Hydra. "The money for the Portsmouth FC acquisition and the needed future investment has been raised through the network of Falcon Equity from Asian and Middle Eastern investors. "None of these investors are from the real estate sector or part of a royal family." Meanwhile, Sky Sports News understands Al-Fahim could be interested in bringing former England manager Sven Goran Eriksson to Pompey. The club have yet to comment.

Source: SKY_Sports