ABU DHABI // The business tycoon Sulaiman al Fahim has completed his purchase of Portsmouth Football Club of the English Premier League, his spokesman said today.
The protracted deal is believed to have been concluded earlier this week for an undisclosed sum.
Mr al Fahim, who built a real estate empire through his Hydra Properties company, is the current chairman of the club and is expected to host a press conference in the UK in the coming days to provide further details of the purchase.
His spokesman, Ivo Ilic Gabara, said the contracts had been signed but refused to give details of exactly when the transaction was completed or the purchase price.
A Portsmouth FC spokesman confirmed the purchase had been completed.
A statement released on behalf of Mr al Fahim said: "Devondale Investments, the current owner of Portsmouth FC, and Al Fahim Asia Associates Ltd (AAA), a company fully owned by Sulaiman al Fahim, chairman of the board of Portsmouth FC, have reached an agreement whereby AAA has become the new sole owner of the club.
"Sulaiman al Fahim welcomed this agreement and looks forward to helping the club build on its impressive history and achieve new successes in the Premier League.
"The chairman of the club would like to extend his gratitude to the players, staff and supporters of Portsmouth FC who have shown an extraordinary level of commitment and loyalty to this great club."
Speculation mounted earlier this month that the deal was close to collapse, with the club's manager Paul Hart telling a fans' forum that he did not believe the purchase would go through.
Mr al Fahim has been seeking financing since he announced his plan to purchase Portsmouth in May.
Amid growing concerns that the deal would fall through at the 11th hour, a new consortium emerged, believed to be headed by the Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie. A third party, also from the Middle East, is also said to have approached the club regarding a buyout.
Fans were relieved at the news that Mr al Fahim's purchase had been completed.
"It's about time," said Nathan Hunt, 33, a lifelong fan of the club who now lives in Dubai. "I am pleased the waiting is over but disappointed that we have lost so many players in the last few weeks.
"The Portsmouth fan base are going to be happy that everything has gone through and has been finalised. It's just a shame that it doesn't look like he is going to spend the kind of money on the club that everyone had hoped."
Craig Johnston, 25, also from Portsmouth and who also lives in Dubai, said he hoped the completion of the deal might trigger a buying frenzy ahead of the closure of the player transfer window at 8pm next Tuesday.
"Fans are pretty despondent; we have got no players left," he said. "We need about four or five purchases in the next few days, otherwise by next season, he's going to end up being the chairman of a first division club."
chamilton@thenational.ae
Results
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
Destroyer
Director: Karyn Kusama
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Sebastian Stan
Rating: 3/5
UAE release: January 31
8 traditional Jamaican dishes to try at Kingston 21
- Trench Town Rock: Jamaican-style curry goat served in a pastry basket with a carrot and potato garnish
- Rock Steady Jerk Chicken: chicken marinated for 24 hours and slow-cooked on the grill
- Mento Oxtail: flavoured oxtail stewed for five hours with herbs
- Ackee and salt fish: the national dish of Jamaica makes for a hearty breakfast
- Jamaican porridge: another breakfast favourite, can be made with peanut, cornmeal, banana and plantain
- Jamaican beef patty: a pastry with ground beef filling
- Hellshire Pon di Beach: Fresh fish with pickles
- Out of Many: traditional sweet potato pudding
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hoopla%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMarch%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Jacqueline%20Perrottet%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2010%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20required%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24500%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Children who witnessed blood bath want to help others
Aged just 11, Khulood Al Najjar’s daughter, Nora, bravely attempted to fight off Philip Spence. Her finger was injured when she put her hand in between the claw hammer and her mother’s head.
As a vital witness, she was forced to relive the ordeal by police who needed to identify the attacker and ensure he was found guilty.
Now aged 16, Nora has decided she wants to dedicate her career to helping other victims of crime.
“It was very horrible for her. She saw her mum, dying, just next to her eyes. But now she just wants to go forward,” said Khulood, speaking about how her eldest daughter was dealing with the trauma of the incident five years ago. “She is saying, 'mama, I want to be a lawyer, I want to help people achieve justice'.”
Khulood’s youngest daughter, Fatima, was seven at the time of the attack and attempted to help paramedics responding to the incident.
“Now she wants to be a maxillofacial doctor,” Khulood said. “She said to me ‘it is because a maxillofacial doctor returned your face, mama’. Now she wants to help people see themselves in the mirror again.”
Khulood’s son, Saeed, was nine in 2014 and slept through the attack. While he did not witness the trauma, this made it more difficult for him to understand what had happened. He has ambitions to become an engineer.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
The bio:
Favourite film:
Declan: It was The Commitments but now it’s Bohemian Rhapsody.
Heidi: The Long Kiss Goodnight.
Favourite holiday destination:
Declan: Las Vegas but I also love getting home to Ireland and seeing everyone back home.
Heidi: Australia but my dream destination would be to go to Cuba.
Favourite pastime:
Declan: I love brunching and socializing. Just basically having the craic.
Heidi: Paddleboarding and swimming.
Personal motto:
Declan: Take chances.
Heidi: Live, love, laugh and have no regrets.
