Ben Haim set to sue Pompey for £1.4m over 'unpaid' wages

By Joe Bernstein for the Daily Mail
Updated: 18:19 EST, 11 June 2011

Portsmouth's hopes of a brighter future under new Russian owner Vladimir Antonov have been dealt a blow by a £1.4million claim in unpaid wages by Israel defender Tal Ben Haim.

Ben Haim, backed by the PFA, has taken legal advice and will make his case against Portsmouth at a Football League hearing in July.

He alleges he has not been paid since returning from a loan spell at West Ham in January. If successful, a transfer embargo will remain in place at Fratton Park until he is paid, representing a huge blow for manager Steve Cotterill, who has only eight players under contract.

The move could not come at a worse time for Portsmouth fans, who hoped the £15m purchase by Antonov’s company, Convers Sports Initiatives, from previous owner Balram Chainrai earlier this month was the end of the worst period in the club’s history.

But Ben Haim, signed by Pompey from Manchester City in 2009, is adamant the club have failed to honour his £36,000-a-week contract and, although the problems started under previous owners, the legal process is continuing because Antonov has not paid the money claimed.