The good news for Avram Grant and Pompey fans, is that the Premier League has lifted the clubs transfer embargo. The bad news is that they can only sign players on loan or who are available on a free transfer
Portsmouth has been unable to register new players since October, when the Premier League imposed the restriction due to the club’s unpaid debts on previous transfers. The ban on registering players has been reportedely linked to payments owed to Udinese over the signing of Sulley Muntari, who has since returned to Serie A with Inter Milan.
With an agreement between Portsmouth band Udinese now in place the ban has been lifted.
Reacting to the news, Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie told the club’s official website:
“We are delighted that the transfer embargo for player registrations has been lifted by the Premier League. The club and the Premier League have worked together to allow us to be able to do some business in the last week of the transfer window. Avram Grant will now be trying to bring in players to strengthen the squad in loan and free deals.”
The Premier League released a statement saying:
“The board of the Premier League has today lifted the player registration embargo on Portsmouth Football club under the conditions that they are limited to signing players on loan or who are available on a free transfer. The board has taken this action as Portsmouth FC has no outstanding debts to football clubs as of this date.”