Berkovic closer to Pompey move
Portsmouth remain hopeful of sealing Eyal Berkovic’s move from Manchester City by the weekend.
Talks between Pompey chief executive Peter Storrie, Berkovic and his agent Pini Zahavi have continued over the past 24 hours with the aim of concluding a £500,000 (€718,618) deal before the south coast outfit meet City in a Barclaycard Premiership encounter at Fratton Park on Saturday.
It had been thought talks had been scuppered by Berkovic’s wage demands but the 31-year-old, who cost the Blues £1.5m (€2.16m) when he signed from Celtic in 2001, could still be unveiled ahead of the meeting.
“We still need to agree and complete some documentation and we want to make sure any deal is a financially sound one for the club,” Storrie told Portsmouth’s official website, www.pompeyfc.co.uk
“We did make a lot of progress through the night and the two parties have moved closer.
“They were very good negotiations and I am grateful to Pini Zahavi and Manchester City for their very helpful participation.
“If the obstacles remaining can be overcome then we remain hopeful that Eyal will be a Pompey player by the weekend.”
Berkovic – who played under Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp at West Ham – has been told he has no future with City after falling out with manager Kevin Keegan during the summer.
He has made just three first-team starts for the Blues this term and has not featured since coming on as a substitute against Newcastle on November 22.
