Al-Fahim reveals Pompey talks

Sulaiman al-Fahim is in talks to end his turbulent spell as Portsmouth's majority shareholder after less than six weeks at the helm of the Premier League strugglers.

Al-Fahim only took control of the south coast club in August but his brief time at the helm has been plagued by financial difficulties.

Earlier in the week it emerged that players and staff at Fratton Park had not been paid on time, while Al-Fahim himself has been hospitalised in Dubai following an operation to remove kidney stones.

Now a consortium led by Saudi property tycoon Ali al-Faraj is in talks with Al-Fahim to take control at Fratton Park.

Al-Fahim told The Observer: "I think by Monday or Tuesday (Al-Faraj) will be on the board. His consortium will be a major shareholder. And I will keep a minority."

Meanwhile, chief executive Peter Storrie has revealed that the need for a new majority was vital to safeguard the future of the ailing club.

Pompey won their first game of the season after edging out Wolves 1-0 at Molineux on Saturday.

"It was imperative that something had to be done to safeguard the future of this club," he told the Sunday Mirror.

"Portsmouth were completely skint and when it appeared funding from Sulaiman Al-Fahim wouldn't arrive in time to stop the club from being put into a perilous situation we had to do something.

"After prolonged talks with Ali-Al-Faraj we eventually came to a solution and subject to all the legal issues being sorted out, I am confident the deal should go through early next week."