Source: Telegraph
Portsmouth takeover to undergo stringent Premier League scrutiny
As Sven-Goran Eriksson on Thursday expressed his interest in returning to English football at Portsmouth, it emerged that Al Fahim's declaration that the takeover will be funded by "Asian and Middle Eastern investors" would be too vague for the Premier League. [LNB]New rules that are due to be adopted will require clubs to publish the identity of every shareholder with a stake above 10 per cent.[LNB] Related ArticlesPortsmouth close to takeoverPortsmouth: End-of-season reportSport on televisionJames out of England qualifiersManchester City: Premier League end-of-season reportFemale British plumber wins Arab equivalent of The ApprenticeSo far Al Fahim has confirmed that none of the investors are from the real estate sector or part of any royal family and that the purchase of Portsmouth is separate from his property company Hydra Properties.[LNB]Although Al Fahim is said to be a billionaire in his own right, the funding behind Portsmouth is not understood to be on the same scale of Manchester City. [LNB]Nevertheless, there are high hopes for squad investment, although the future of caretaker manager Paul Hart is uncertain, particularly given the availability of Eriksson, who was among the preferred candidates to succeed Tony Adams. [LNB]Athole Still, Eriksson's agent, denied having had contact with Portsmouth, but said the job would appeal to the former England manager.[LNB]"He is looking forward to getting back into club management and wants to be back in the Premier League," said Still. "It's a club with money and a club that looks like it will have ambition, which is important to any top manager."[LNB]The appointment of Eriksson would certainly fit with Al Fahim's desire to develop Portsmouth's global brand.[LNB]"Everything I have seen makes me sure that we can build a great football club in the years to come," said Al Fahim. "With the group of investors that is backing the acquisition we seek to further develop the Portsmouth brand and lead the club to new strengths. [LNB]"The investor group bundled in Al Fahim Asia Associates which I lead and represent has the necessary funds to support and build a strong Portsmouth FC." [LNB]
