Portsmouth stars like David James would leave for free if club goes bust

England keeper David James and the rest of his Portsmouth team-mates will be up for grabs if the club goes bust.

The Pompey stars can find new homes immediately should the Premier League strugglers be forced into liquidation by the tax man.

James and fellow wanted men in Avram Grant's side will be free agents when their pay cheques stop - and can move despite the FIFA transfer window being shut.

And that would start a mad scramble by Premier sides to pick on the Pompey carcass if they become the first top-flight club to disappear.

If the Inland Revenue step in and take charge they will obviously look to cancel contracts, but that also means giving up the rights to any transfer fees - so it becomes a free for all.

The historic move by the tax man has shaken football and threatens to rip up a few rule books. One top Premier League official said last night: "This means that all of football's artificial laws will be changed.

"Clubs and players have been protected in the past as 'football creditors' were always paid first when they went into administration. But that goes out of the window with liquidation."

James would be one of the first to be snapped up. However his hopes of getting a £50,000-a-week deal anywhere else would be remote in the extreme.

Other fancied players will hope to find ready-made homes. Young centre half Marc Wilson has his admirers, while Algerian internationals Hassan Yebda and Nadir Belhadj will want clubs before the build-up to the World Cup - and a clash with England.

Midfielder Jamie O'Hara will be returned to Tottenham, his parent club, although he could yet be loaned out to a Championship side if he wants first-team football.

However on-loan pair Aruna Dindane and Frederic Piquionne are in even more complicated positions. Dindane is on loan from French club Lens while his strike partner is on loan from Lyon.