Portsmouth officials met with league counterparts to give details of their current position as they challenge a winding-up petition served on them by HM Revenue and Customs before Christmas, and continue to battle debts to other clubs. The Premier League were on Tuesday due to pay all clubs their latest portion of broadcasting income, around £7million, but were threatening to direct Portsmouth's share directly to creditor clubs if the south coast club failed to cover its debts. After Tuesday's meeting, the league will take some time to assess the new information before making a decision. A Premier League spokesman said: "Portsmouth have provided the Premier League board with new information regarding their outstanding debt to other football clubs. "The Premier League board will now consider this new information and make a decision in due course." Portsmouth have been operating under a transfer embargo imposed by the league due to the outstanding debts. It is understood the unsettled accounts are spread across several deals, including the transfer of Glen Johnson from Chelsea in August 2007, the full-back having since been sold on Liverpool for £18million. Elsewhere, terms still have to be met over Younes Kaboul's move from Tottenham, Sulley Muntari, now at Inter Milan, from Udinese, John Utaka from Rennes as well as Nadir Belhadj and Aruna Dindane from Lens. The total outstanding is believed to be around £10million, so even were the Premier League to redistribute the cash, Pompey would still be short. Nevertheless, Portsmouth are confident the problems behind the scenes following two recent changes in ownership will soon be stabilised. Pompey remain positive the Premier League's transfer embargo will be lifted to allow manager Avram Grant to enter into the market this month as he looks to get the club, in FA Cup action at Coventry for Tuesday night's FA Cup third-round replay, off the foot of the table. Executive director Mark Jacob believes Saudi businessman Ali Al Faraj, whose investment has so far enabled Portsmouth to stay afloat and avoid administration despite paying players' salaries late more than once, can take the club forward. Jacob told the Portsmouth News: "If you look at the list of creditors and the timeframe of the debts the club owed in September 2009 compared to January 2010, people will then appreciate the efforts that [club lawyer] Mr [Daniel] Azougy and the financial team at the club have made. "It has to be said, there is now more transparency between the club and its creditors and we have been pleasantly surprised that a lot of people who may have been owed money by Portsmouth in the past now understand and appreciate the efforts we have made to pay the debts. "It is in no-one's interest to take matters to court and threatening court proceedings. "If there is an issue, we want to address it." Jacob is also confident of a successful challenge to HMRC. The club is due to go to court to argue the VAT portion of their massive tax debt is too high by some £7.5million. "We have inherited a huge tax liability and - since the takeover - substantial sums have been paid to the Revenue. In fact, they have been prioritised as a creditor. "As for the matters reported, all I can say at this stage - because it is subject to legal proceedings - is the Revenue are being challenged and we will know more in the coming weeks. "We have every confidence that the matter will be addressed."
