EXCLUSIVE: Portsmouth deal to be sealed on July 24

Wednesday, 15 July 2009 11:09 AM

Sulaiman Al Fahim’s takeover of Portsmouth Football Club will be completed on Friday July 24, with the UAE tycoon flying to London tonight to finalise the deal with the club’s current owners.

Confidential documents seen by Arabian Business show that Dr Al Fahim, who launched his bid for the Premier League club on May 27, has now agreed terms with the club. He will meet with club boss Peter Storrie Thursday evening in London, with the takeover likely to be officially announced on July 24, after the Premier League has completed its “Fit and Proper” persons test.

According to a 48 page document entitled “Portsmouth: The New Era”, it is also understood that current manager Paul Hart will be kept in charge of the club. “Mr Hart understands this club better than anyone coming in from the outside and deserves the opportunity to take it forward,” the document says.

It also details Dr Al Fahim’s schedule for the coming months, saying the new owner “envisages attending every home game between August 15 and the end of 2009”, and will host “Fans Sessions” on Friday evenings before home games.

“As we move forward, the importance of Portsmouth fans, and their views on the future direction of the club, cannot be underestimated. We must have a constant dialogue with them, and begin this process from Day One.”

Dr Al Fahim himself meanwhile, according to sources close to him, is already working on detailed plans for the coming season.

“Put it this way, he will be on a plane for seven hours tonight and studying team sheets rather than accounts. We have moved to the next phase, which is preparing for the season ahead,” says the source.

Dr Al Fahim will be travelling with his family to London, and stay in the UK capital for several days. “It’s a mini family holiday, but that way he will be around if the Premier League need to see him,” adds the source.

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Posted by: Les Sibley Tuesday, 4 August 2009 9:53 PM[UAE] - UK

Can someone PLEASE tell us Pompey Fans what is going on, we are selling players left,right and centre,yet we have no news on this 'takeover'. Rumours are circulating that it will NOT happen. So someone please,please, please let the fans know now, its our club and we are very very concerned.

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Posted by: andy Monday, 20 July 2009 2:47 AM[UAE] - ireland

i hope this works as until the dr has been in and around the fans of pompey he wont understand the passion we have for our club. i will keep my fingers crossed the article is correct

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Posted by: deanopfc76 Friday, 17 July 2009 11:58 PM[UAE] - UK

Nobody is telling Pompey fans the truth. We are seriously in trouble. It must mean that Dr Fahim doesn't have enough money to afford the �60 million price and that Sacha is selling players to reduce the asking price. If the Dr wants to know why so many fans haven't renewed their season ticket it is because of the awful football played under Paul Hart. Unless, the Dr is going to takeover Pompey and make some significant signings then relegation is a certainty. I can't see him meeting the fans every Friday before the Sat match, when we are cut a drift at the bottom of PL before the end of Sept. Thanks a bunch Sacha and Storrie. Bring back Milan, the only person who trully cared about PFC.

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Posted by: mark spaven Friday, 17 July 2009 11:52 PM[UAE] - hants

May i say Mr Al Fahim i as a fan look forward to this new dawn can i say many THANKS

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Posted by: pompeyfaith Friday, 17 July 2009 1:33 AM[UAE] - England

I was at first very excited about this deal going though but now im not so sure. we were told a fee of 60 million had been agreed, now we hear that is to be agreed. This is all taking too long and the time to sell was badly chosen I can only believe that the club is more in debt than they told hence why Al-Fahim is re-negotiating the selling price and the fact that all our core players have been sold. Too late to buy players now and if Al-Fahim does buy the club my only hope is that serious cash injection is put in place in January because the first half of the season aint gona be good

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