TWTD understands that Icelandic defender Hermann Hreidarsson will have to take a significant pay cut if he is to agree terms at Portsmouth. Town's administrator agreed a fee with Pompey last week which we believe to be around the £500,000 mark.

Hreidarsson, signed from Wimbledon for £4.5 million in the summer of 2000, is on around £17,000-a-week at Portman Road. Pompey are unlikely to pay him anything like that even with Premiership football virtually guaranteed next season.

Last summer Town agreed a fee of £3.5 million with West Bromwich Albion for the Iceland international. Hreidarsson spoke to the Baggies before deciding to remain at Town.

Just before the end of the August transfer window West Brom came in again with a lower bid of £3.3 million which Town were forced to accept. Again talks broke down with wages cited as amongst a number of reasons for the failure to agree a deal.

Hreidarsson is unlikely to return to action until the last couple of weeks of the season after receiving a deep gash just above the knee in the recent home game against Stoke.

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