Avram Grant is to return to Portsmouth as their new director of football.
Grant has been out of the game since being sacked by Chelsea at the end of the 2007-08 season after they lost to Manchester United in the Champions League final and were beaten to the Premier League title on the final day.
Portsmouth's future was secured on Monday evening when they were taken over by Ali al-Faraj.
The Saudi businessman has promised to make funds available to the manager during the January transfer window.
Paul Hart is the present incumbent but the link-up with Grant will raise eyebrows in certain quarters. It is expected that the Israeli will work with Hart on player recruitment. His previous tenure at Fratton Park was during the reign of Harry Redknapp who prefers to have overall control of team matters.
Portsmouth lie bottom of the Premier League, having lost their first seven games of the season. Victory at Wolverhampton Wanderers in their last game earned them their first points of this campaign.
"I love Avram, he's a great guy," David James, the Portsmouth goalkeeper, said. "When I first joined the club he was there and he was very active in preparation for matches. He's a very wise man; his football knowledge is immense. It's a very good move."
James is hopeful Grant's arrival and the takeover by Al Faraj will bring some much needed stability to the club. "The non-pay issue was not good," he said. "The people who needed to get paid got paid but it was more the bigger picture. Now we've got our first win and our first clean sheet, it's a much happier place."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/portsmouth/article6864421.ece
