LONDON, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Debt-ridden Portsmouth have paid players their December salary a week late, the English Premier League club said on Thursday.

    The League's cash-strapped bottom club obtained fresh funding Thursday morning and diverted the cash into its players' bank accounts.

    It is the third time this season that Pompey have failed to pay their players on time. But chief executive Peter Storrie says players will not be sold in the January transfer window to help ease the financial crisis at the south-coast club.

    Storrie did not ruled out players sale either, saying if the team has to sell players then they will be sold for their market price and not what people think is a knock down price.