'Portsmouth are being sued by French side Lens over alleged unpaid transfer fees for striker Aruna Dindane and defender Nadir Belhadj.
Lens claim Pompey £40million in debt went back on a deal to buy £4m-rated Dindane permanently once he played 11 games and that they have also failed to keep up instalments for Belhadj's £4.2m move.
Lens president Gervais Martel said: 'We are taking action through the European football tribunals as well as civil courts.'
Pompey's woes were underlined with news that John Utaka is said to be on £80,000 a week but has scored only seven goals since he signed in 2007.
Legal action: Lens claim Portsmouth have failed to keep up with their payments for the transfer of Nadir Belhadj'