Portsmouth executive chairman Peter Storrie has defended the £18.5 million sale of Glen Johnson to Liverpool.
He said: "How can you question the sale of a player to a club with Champions League football on offer? We can't compete with that. Liverpool and Chelsea can offer Glen things we can't. Of course we don't want to lose him and I know for a fact Glen is happy here.
"But when a top-four club with Champ-ions League football comes knocking it is very, very difficult. When he signed his new contract he asked us if we would give him permission to talk to a Champions League club if they should come in for him.
"This was a verbal agreement and we have honoured that. Let's remember, this is a big year for Glen with it being the World Cup at the end of it. He wants to cement his England place and he feels moving to a top-four club can help him do that.
"We want to keep him, he was happy to be here - that's why he signed a new contract - but now he has the chance of Champions League football and he wants to go. That has nothing to do with our ambition as a club."
He added: "Glen has been a tremendous player for this football club and all we can now do is wish him all the best.
"He's a great lad who is maturing into a quality footballer. All we can do is try to get the biggest fee possible for him. That's my job - and I believe the offers on the table represent very good fees for us."