Premier League's Harry Redknapp Red Handed?

London police arrest Portsmouth's manager

LONDON - Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp was among five people arrested Wednesday in an investigation into alleged corruption in English soccer, the Premier League club said.

Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie was also arrested, the club said.

British media identified the three others arrested as former Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric, who is currently chairman of Leicester, former Portsmouth player Amdy Faye and his agent, Willie McKay.

"Portsmouth Football Club can confirm that chief executive Peter Storrie and manager Harry Redknapp have today been asked to help police with their inquiries concerning a matter dating back to 2003," the club said.

"This was prior to the new owner taking control of the club at the beginning of 2006. The club is fully supportive of Peter and Harry who are co-operating fully with City of London Police in this ongoing inquiry."

 

City of London Police, the agency which investigates financial crime, said earlier that it had arrested five people on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and false accounting.

Police did not identify the men, saying only that they were aged 69, 60, 55, 48 and 30.

Redknapp is 60 and Mandaric is 69.

Eight locations across Britain were searched during Wednesday's raids.

In July, police searched the offices of Portsmouth and Newcastle and Scottish club Rangers, along with the homes of two people, as part of the investigation. Tottenham defender Pascal Chimbonda was also questioned.

English soccer finances have been under the spotlight over the past two years. The Premier League instigated an inquiry in March 2006 after media allegations that managers, players or agents had been taking kickbacks from transfers.