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Portsmouth have confirmed that director of football Avram Grant
will succeed Paul Hart
as the club's manager - and ESPN Soccernet can reveal that
he has been promised the funds for three new signings in the
January transfer window.
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Grant has been given a work permit and will take charge
from Saturday
ESPN Soccernet revealed on Wednesday that Grant was
likely to be appointed within 24 hours, and he has now signed a
two-and-a-half-year deal.
Grant will take charge of the team for the game against
Manchester United at Fratton Park on Saturday in his capacity as
director of football, having been granted his work permit.
The club will now go through the process of making the technical
change to his work permit that will allow Grant to become manager.
This involves acquiring a new sponsorship number from the Football
Association to change his permit status.
And an insider told ESPN Soccernet: "If he saves the
club from relegation, he will be a big hero, but he needs new
players."
Another source close to the club added: "Avram has signed a near
three-year contract and hasn't asked for any other coaches - he
will keep the coaches already here. There is talk of the funds
being in place for January transfers, and the suggestion is there
will be two or three new players.
"The transfer embargo hasn't been lifted yet, there is still a
technical problem, but once the payment to Chelsea is made at the
end of this month, we would expect the embargo to be lifted."
Grant spent the 2006-07 season as Pompey's technical director
before joining Chelsea as director of football. He became manager
at Stamford Bridge and steered Chelsea to the Champions League
final.
Pompey chief executive officer Peter Storrie said: "Avram is a
very experienced and respected manager who has managed at the
highest level. The board believes he is the man to help steer the
club out of the relegation zone.
"He knows the club, the players and the set-up at Fratton Park,
so it was the logical move to make him the next manager, once the
board had decided to relieve Paul Hart of the role.
"He will take charge of training on Friday alongside first-team
coaches Paul Groves and Ian Woan."