Alexandre Gaydamak. Blimey, sounds like a drag artist but he may well be the man to drag Portsmouth out of the mire.
He’s just 31, lives in Israel, and has a famous billionaire father called Arkady.
On Wednesday this week, the club issued a statement confirming: ”Milan Mandaric and Alexandre Gaydamak will work closely together to further all aspects of Portsmouth Football Club.”
The financial experts are saying the Gaydamaks aren’t quite in the Roman Abramovich league.
But on the day Chelsea crushed West Ham to move another step closer to total domination of the Premiership, the parallels are unavoidable.
Like Abramovich, there is a whiff of scandal about the latest rouble-laden saviour.
Arkady, who is officially listed as having ”several industrial enterprises in Russia”, was caught up in an arms-for-oil deal in Angola in the early 1990s, with a warrant issued for his arrest in Paris.
Francois Mitterand’s son Jean-Christophe was jailed for 30 months for his involvement.
Arkady insisted at the time it was ”a legitimate agreement between the governments of Russia and Angola” and was never arrested.
But forget all that.
Ownership of a major English football club, or even poor Pompey, offers plenty of headlines and positive publicity for those who need a touch of legitimacy.
Abramovich is a major player on the world stage thanks to his ownership of Stamford Bridge.
And for a man who earned £7-billion from a single Sibneft oil deal this year, buying a record £330-million of footballers is a worthwhile investment if it scares off those who feel his dealings lack a certain finesse.
So for Gaydamak, Portsmouth offer a good, high-profile future, free of slanderous allegations that some in Russia are making millions while the people struggle.
It would appear that he will take a co-ownership role with Serb mastermind Milan Mandaric, offering manager Harry Redknapp a kitty of between £50-million and £100-million for new players as early as the January transfer window.
And that is the footballing point here.
Redknapp, who according to the official statement has the ”full backing” of the new regime, has been whingeing about his squad lately and the fans still haven’t forgiven him for his move a few miles west to rivals Southampton last season.
Given a few quid to spend, Redknapp may now be able to avoid going down twice in two seasons in a world where, as Abramovich has shown, money does guarantee success.
Gaydamak will still be subject to the FA’s ”right and proper person” test but he is unlikely to fall at the final hurdle.
Along with his dad, Alexandre has improved matters at Beitar Jerusalem with high-profile signings such as former France midfielder Luis Fernandez as coach and Lens midfielder Jerome Leroy shoring up the midfield for a side currently third in the Israeli Prima division.
Sources insist the Gaydamaks are ”football crazy”.
Pompey fans will be licking their lips in anticipation. Redknapp, always an enthusiastic wheeler-dealer in the transfer market, will be doing the same.
But apart from Chelsea, the rest of the Premiership might be wondering if roubles mean troubles.