Al Fahim takeover on course insist Portsmouth

Sulaiman Al Fahim remains committed to completing his proposed takeover of Portsmouth as soon as possible, the club said in a statement last night.

The switch in ownership to Al Fahim from Alexandre Gaydamak looked all set to proceed after the former passed the Premier League's 'fit and proper person' test.

Delays have cast doubt on whether the deal will go through, but the south-coast club insist everything remains on course.

A statement on club website www.portsmouthfc.co.uk read: "In response to recent media coverage, the chairman of the board of Portsmouth Football Club, Sulaiman Al Fahim, would like to stress that he remains committed to completing the acquisition of Portsmouth FC as soon as possible, in keeping with the agreement outlined in the Terms Sheet signed in July."

Al Fahim added: "I have always said that we would complete the due diligence process in the course of July and that I would submit to the Premier League my application under the Premier League's 'fit and proper person test' immediately after the completion of the due diligence. I have duly met both deadlines.

"The current owner and I have agreed and signed the Terms Sheet document, with which the terms of the transaction have been finalised.

"Now we are in the final stages of the transaction and I will exercise every effort to complete it as soon as possible in the interest of both the club and its supporters, who are showing an extraordinary level of loyalty to this great club."