Pompey handed transfer ban over unpaid bills

England's Premier League announced on Wednesday they had placed a transfer embargo on basement club Portsmouth, now owned by a Saudi businessman.

The ban means the south coast club will not be able to bring any new players to Fratton Park until further notice.

Premier League spokesman Dan Johnson said: "We can confirm that there is an embargo on Portsmouth registering any new players."

The ban is the latest twist in a long-running saga which has seen Portsmouth have two owners in a matter of months after Sulaiman Al-Fahim, who only took over the club in August, sold a majority stake to Saudi businessman Ali Al-Faraj on October 6 after failing to pay the players' September wages.

Al-Faraj was reported to have supplied the five million pounds bridging loan needed to pay the wages of club staff.

It is understood the ban has been imposed because of issues regarding outstanding payments to other clubs over transfers.

No professional club can sign a player on a full-time basis outside of the transfer 'windows' sanctioned by world governing body FIFA. The next window is in January.

The ban was announced just 24 hours after Portsmouth won against top-flight opposition at Fratton Park for the first time this season, beating Stoke City 4-0 to reach the quarter-finals of the English League Cup.

That victory was a rare highlight for Portsmouth, who have been best by off-field problems all season to set alongside their poor form.

Earlier this month, British revenue authorities announced that Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie was set to be prosecuted over tax evasion charges relating to the transfer of midfielder Amdy Faye from French club Auxerre for 1.5 million pounds ($2.49 million) in August 2003.

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