Portsmouth aim to sign unwanted Spurs midfielder Tim Sherwood this week in a bid to clinch promotion to the Premiership.
Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp has been chasing the 33-year-old since the start of the season and appears to have fought off interest from West Brom to sign the experienced midfielder.
First division leaders Portsmouth will only pay a fee for Sherwood if they are promoted to the Premiership at the end of the season.
"Tim is undoubtedly a quality player who in many ways is the crucial piece of completing the jigsaw," Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie said.
"He is a box-to-box player and will be a tremendous influence as we approach the final few furlongs".
Sherwood helped Blackburn Rovers win the Premier League title in the 1994-95 season before leaving them for Tottenham in a £3.8 million sterling move in 1999 when George Graham was in charge at White Hart Lane.
But he has fallen out with current Tottenham boss Glenn Hoddle after questioning the extent of the north London club's ambition.