Nugent fined over team-mate fracas

(GETTY IMAGES)

Portsmouth players David Nugent and Marc Wilson are understood to have been fined two weeks' wages after a "serious breach of club discipline" on the club's 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.

A statement from the club said: "David Nugent and Marc Wilson have both been disciplined for a serious breach of club discipline. The matter has been dealt with internally and there will be no further comment from the club."

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

Nugent, who missed the Benfica friendly with a toe injury, had looked set for a more prominent role at Fratton Park this season following the sale of Peter Crouch to Tottenham.

He has yet to establish himself in the Premier League after a £6million move from Preston in the summer of 2007. He impressed so much in the Championship with the Lancashire club that he earned an England cap in a European Championship qualifier against Andorra in March 2007, scoring a goal in a 3-0 win.

Wilson, 21, made his debut for Pompey in a Carling Cup tie against Chelsea last September. He started two Premier League games for the south coast club and also made one further substitute appearance.

It is 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 to The Sun 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 Crouch 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.

A statement on club website www.portsmouthfc.co.uk read: "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."

Al Fahim added: "I have always said that we would complete the due diligence process in the course of July and that I would submit to the Premier League my application under the Premier League's 'fit and proper person test' immediately after the completion of the due diligence. I have duly met both deadlines.

"The current owner and I have agreed and signed the Terms Sheet document, with which the terms of the transaction have been finalised.

"Now we are in the final stages of the transaction and I will exercise every effort to complete it as soon as possible in the interest of both the club and its supporters, who are showing an extraordinary level of loyalty to this great club."