LONDON: Portsmouth's players and staff should receive their December wages next week — if the club's owners can secure a short-term loan.

The wages should have been paid on 31 December but were delayed amid ongoing financial struggles at the club. Chief executive Peter Storrie told BBC Radio Solent that a short-term loan would resolve the cashflow problem. "(The owners) were looking to bring a major bank loan in and that's what has slowed the process up," said Storrie.

Pompey have seen Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs apply for a winding-up order against the club in relation to disputed tax contributions. The club is also operating under a Premier League transfer embargo. The ban relates to outstanding debts that Pompey owe to Arsenal and Chelsea for the signings of Lassana Diarra and Glen Johnson.

And French club Lens have called for Portsmouth to be "shut down" over alleged unpaid debts owed to them for striker Aruna Dindane and defender Nadir Belhaj. Payment to Portsmouth's players and staff was also late in September and November.