Thursday, August 6, 2009

Portsmouth sign striker Frederic Piquionne on season-long loan from Lyon


Portsmouth had some welcome good news to announce as they confirmed the signing of French striker Frederic Piquionne on a season-long loan from Lyon.

The 6ft 2in forward, capped once by France, signed for Lyon for £4 million last summer from Monaco, but struggled to force his way into the side.

Although Lyon sold star striker Karim Benzema to Real Madrid this summer, the 30-year-old Piquionne has remained surplus to requirements.

He can also operate in a wide attacking role and appeared 23 times for Lyon last season, scoring three goals.

The news came as Portsmouth's turbulent summer reached a new low on Wednesday after it was confirmed that David Nugent and Marc Wilson had been fined two weeks' wages following a "serious breach of discipline" on a pre-season tour of Portugal.

The pair are reported to have come to blows at the club's hotel in Guimaraes in the aftermath of their 4-0 friendly defeat to Benfica.

They are understood to have been read the riot act by Pompey manager Paul Hart, who immediately sent them home after the incident.

It was another blow for Pompey in what is shaping up to be a difficult campaign for the club.

Chief executive officer Peter Storrie admitted in a private email to a supporter which was leaked that the club had "no option but to sell to keep going" should the protracted takeover of Sulaiman Al Fahim be further delayed or fail to materialise at all.

The club have already sold Peter Crouch to Tottenham as well as fellow England international Glen Johnson to Liverpool to help balance the books.

Al Fahim, meanwhile, has reiterated his commitment to buying the club from Alexandre Gaydamak.

In a statement on the club website he said: "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."

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