Former Chelsea and Arsenal stars at centre of Portsmouth transfer ban

Glen Johnson and Lassana Diarra are the players at the centre of the Portsmouth transfer ban.

The south coast side have been prevented by the Premier League from registering players until missed monthly payments are made to Chelsea and Arsenal for the duo - since sold for a total of £36million.

Mirror Sport understands that far from Pompey owing millions for the England and France internationals, the outstanding cash amounts to "tens of thousands".

Johnson was signed by Portsmouth in August 2007 for a £4m fee to be staggered over the length of his four-year deal.

Diarra was secured for £5.5m in January 2008 with his fee also structured over the length of his four-year contract.

Incredibly, Diarra was sold on to Real Madrid in January this year for a whopping £20m, while Johnson moved to Liverpool for £16m in the summer.

Both transfers took place under Portsmouth's previous administration, however, and the club's new owners are understood to be relaxed about the ban.

Representatives of current owner Ali Al Faraj are understood to be going through the Pompey finances to prioritise payments to creditors. The club are confident that once that has been done, the embargo will be lifted.

That process is being undertaken despite doubts about Al Faraj's own finances.

He admitted in the Daily Mirror last week that he is NOT a billionaire and knows nothing about football.

He also said he planned to sell the Premier League's bottom club in six months' time and said he was attracted to buying the club when he was persuaded he could make a profit.