English Championship side Portsmouth is desperately relying on money from the sale of Ghanaian Sulley Muntari to prevent them from hitting a new low.
Having been relegated from the Premier League last season and currently in administration, Portsmouth are now facing another crisis, with their players potentially having their wages delayed once again.
This is not the first time wages have not arrived on time, but if Portsmouth are to keep their heads above water, they have no choice, but will the players play ball?
The latest issue concerns the transfer of Sulley Muntari to Inter Milan three years ago.
Portsmouth received around £7million for the Ghanaian.
They also attached a clause to the sale to receive a further £880,000 should Muntari make 80 appearances for Inter in all competitions.
Last month the clause was activated, and Portsmouth had expected to receive the payment within two weeks, but that has yet to appear.
Without the money from the European and Italian champions, Portsmouth will not be able to pay their players this month as they will run out of money by next week, and if Balram Chainrai’s proposed takeover of the club is not approved by the Football League, then Pompey will be relying on the money they are owed.
Portsmouth believe Inter are deliberately holding back because they feel the South Coast club owe around £2.7m to Udinese- where they purchased Muntari from in 2007.
Udinese have received their money in full from the Premier League due to the parachute payments to repay Portsmouth’s football creditors.
For this case, it is not Portsmouth’s fault, but the ship continues to sink at Fratton Park.