Portsmouth administrator Andrew Andronikou believes he can strike an unprecedented deal with the Premier League to guarantee the survival of the club.

GettyImagesAndrew Andronikou: Trying to rescue Pompey

• Portsmouth deducted nine points

Having had their nine-point deduction confirmed on Wednesday, Pompey are now 17 points adrift of safety with nine games to play and, with the club's financial future still far from certain, things look bleak.

However, Andronikou has exclusively told Soccernet that he hopes to announce an agreement with the Premier League in the coming days that will stave off the need for a new owner and ensure Portsmouth remain in business.

"I have been negotiating with the Premier League and things should become more clear in the next two days," he said.

"I am not at liberty to go into details just yet, but all I can tell you is that the Premier League has been extremely supportive of the club and the measures being put into place will have huge benefits.

"It will secure the future of Portsmouth, together with the other measures we have now put into place regarding cash flow. It means we are not being rushed into a sale of the club, so the process of selling the club will continue for a while.

"It is not even a question of proof of funds - we are looking for the people with the right credentials. The issue has been resolved, as we don't need a buyer in the short-term."

The administrator is understood to be negotiating with the Premier League on three fronts. Portsmouth would like to receive cash from their TV revenue in advance, while they are also keen to revive the possibility of selling players now but keeping them at Fratton Park until the end of the season.

Additionally, as the club's relegation is all but confirmed, Portsmouth are looking to secure an advance on the first parachute payment they would receive after losing their Premier League status.

Andronikou said: "I cannot rule any of those issues out and there might be a few other things as well."

Andronikou also believes there is a chance of keeping manager Avram Grant. He told Soccernet: "I have spoken with Avram, and he has told me that he will stay on until at least until the end of the season. He is enjoying it, despite all the problems, and we shall see if he wishes to remain with the club for next season."

Andronikou later said that former chief executive Peter Storrie must accept some of the blame for the financial hole the club finds itself in. He said: "Portsmouth is an example of how not to conduct business in the world of football. If you overspend and don't budget accordingly you cannot rely on money from the owner or the proprietor coming in to bridge the gap, and in that it's no difference to any other business.

"At the moment Mr Storrie is assisting us on an ad hoc basis. I felt in the very short term it would help us if we had him around to assist us in certain aspects of the business but this is very much in the short term.

"He was a senior officer of the company and the company has failed so it goes without saying that yes he must bear a large part of the responsibility, absolutely. I would also say that in the last few months that I believe he has exercised his judgement to try to save the club at all costs.''