LONDON: Portsmouth became the second Premier League club to be owned by investors from the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday when they confirmed a takeover led by Sulaiman Al-Fahim.
“The owners of Portsmouth Football Club are pleased to announce that an agreement in principle has been reached over the sale of the club to Al Fahim Asia Associates,” a statement on the club’s website (www.portsmouthfc.co.uk) said.
Portsmouth also announced that Paul Hart had signed a two-year contract as manager after steering them clear of the relegation zone in a caretaker role last year.
The likely injection of significant funds represents a welcome turnaround in fortunes for the south coast club who lost nearly 17 million pounds ($28 million) in the 2007-08 financial year and who had to shelve plans for a new stadium.
Last season manager Harry Redknapp, who led them to the FA Cup for the first time in 69 years in 2008, left to join Tottenham Hotspur while his successor Tony Adams was sacked.
The takeover was rubber-stamped after the Premier League confirmed that Al-Fahim was the first person to pass their new “fit and proper” control for prospective club owners.
Al-Fahim, a board member of the Abu Dhabi United Group for Development and Investment and who fronted the bid from Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al-Nahyan for Manchester City last year, will also become the club’s chairman.
“Based on the information provided the League has found no reason whyAl-Fahim would be liable to be disqualified as a director of a Premier League club,” the Premier League said.
Al-Fahim, who has been in talks for some time with former Portsmouth owner Alexandre Gaydamak about buying the club, said he hoped to deliver success to the club.
“I very much look forward to working closely with the club’s management and supporters to develop Portsmouth Football Club and deliver future success,” Al-Fahim said.
