James hopes for end to sales

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Portsmouth keeper David James is hoping there will be no further exits from the club this summer.

Pompey have seen the side which tasted FA Cup glory under Harry Redknapp in 2008 decimated over the course of the last 12 months.

The exodus of talent has continued during the current transfer window, with Peter Crouch and Glen Johnson offloaded to Tottenham and Liverpool respectively.

The sales have helped to bring in considerable funds, but the South Coast club have been unable to plough the money back into the team.

Working to a stringent budget, it has been made clear that balancing the books is more of a priority than finding replacements for those moved on.

A much-touted takeover by Middle Eastern billionaire Sulaiman Al Fahim would help to ease the financial woes, but that deal continues to be delayed.

England international James has admitted that hopes an agreement can be put in place sooner rather than later, as Portsmouth can ill-afford to part with any more of their star names.

"It is going to be a hard season and I just hope we don't get rid of anyone else," he said.

Bare bones

"We are down to the bare bones, with a lot of trialists and young lads in the team.

"I trust the people we are going to bring in are going to be of a decent, or even a very good standard."

Worryingly for James, though, Portsmouth executive chairman Peter Storrie insists the sales will continue until the club find themselves on a sound financial footing.

"Until this takeover happens, neither the old nor the new owner is placing any money into the business," Storrie told The Sun.

"When - and if - it does, I'm not yet aware of what finance will be available for (new) players.

"The business has debts to pay and the banks are not releasing funds, so this leaves the club with no option but to sell to keep going.

"I agree we need new players, a stadium, but we can't do it without finance and we've had none of this for more than nine months."