Source: Daily_Mail
Angry Avram: Sale of Kaboul to Spurs puts Portsmouth boss on the brink
Avram Grant was locked in crisis talks with Portsmouth on Thursday night after he offered his resignation as manager when two players were sold behind his back.[LNB]The club were confident that they had talked the former Chelsea boss into staying. But Grant and chief executive Peter Storrie are both fuming after Younes Kaboul and Asmir Begovic were sold to Tottenham without them knowing.[LNB]The deals were sanctioned by owner Ali Al Faraj's controversial financial advisor Danny Azougy. Grant had previously insisted that no players would be sold without his approval.[LNB]Fuming: Grant[LNB]Storrie admitted yesterday that his and Grant's positions may be 'untenable' after talks were held with Spurs without their knowledge.[LNB]Storrie added: 'It makes you wonder what one's doing here at the moment. My love is for the football club and despite what some of the fans may think, it always has been.[LNB]'If there is a need to sell a player and get a fee then I feel I am the best person for the situation.[LNB]But I knew nothing about it (the Kaboul reports) until this morning. I took a call from Avram and was told there were meetings going on at Spurs.[LNB]'I'm not knocking it or saying it's right one way or another but surely get the experts in. If someone has to go then let's get the right price.'[LNB]Money from the sales of Kaboul and Begovic is needed to help foot the wage bill although, incredibly, the players are not expected to be paid on time yet again tomorrow the fourth time in five months they and the staff have had to wait for their salaries.[LNB]But the complexities of the recent player trading between Portsmouth and Tottenham mean it is virtually impossible to determine how much the South Coast club will make from selling the two players.[LNB]Spurs, who yesterday completed the signing of Eidur Gudjohnsen from Monaco, on loan for the remainder of the season, are ready to pay around £8million for Kaboul. However, they are still owed £2m by Portsmouth from the defender's £6m move to Fratton Park.[LNB]Tottenham are also entitled to 15 per cent of any profit from Kaboul's sale as part of the sell-on clause negotiated 18 months ago. The waters are muddied further by Spurs still owing money to Portsmouth for Peter Crouch and Niko Kranjcar. There is also the subject of Jamie O'Hara's loan fee to consider should he return to Fratton Park.[LNB] In the dark: Storrie and Grant knew nothing about Kaboul's prospective transfer[LNB]Neither are the circumstances surrounding Begovic's move clear, although Spurs will not be matching Portsmouth's £5m valuation for the 22-year-old keeper. Under FIFA rules, Begovic cannot play for Spurs this season having already been registered with two clubs following a loan spell with Ipswich. Spurs will need to get special dispensation if Begovic is going to feature this season.[LNB]Begovic's departure will not affect Portsmouth's desire to free themselves of David James' £65,000-a-week wages by the closure of the transfer window on Monday, as they have Jamie Ashdown and Antti Niemi.[LNB]West Ham are also monitoring striker Frederic Piquionne's situation if money issues cause a problem with Portsmouth's loan agreement with Lyon.[LNB]But Grant signed Quincy Owusu-Abeyie, on loan from Spartak Moscow until theend of the season, while Middlesbrough's Mido is a loan target.[LNB]At least those Portsmouth players who remain forget their troubles yesterday with a day-out go-karting, paid for by themselves from their fine kitty.[LNB] Portsmouth website shut down after cash-strapped club fail to pay operatorKaboul nears shock Tottenham return as Portsmouth's cash crisis deepensPORTSMOUTH FC
