Redknapp - 'I'm not directly concerned'

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp insisted on Wednesday night that the City of London Police investigation into corruption in football - which led to his arrest - does not "directly concern" him.

Redknapp was one of five men, also including Pompey chief executive Peter Storrie, to be arrested by detectives from the anti-corruption unit on Wednesday. Leicester chairman Milan Mandaric, formerly in the same role at Portsmouth, Rangers midfielder Amdy Faye and agent Willie McKay were also arrested, it was widely reported.

Speaking as he returned home, Redknapp said: "We all helped the police with their inquiries. But it doesn't directly concern me - it's other people involved."

He added: "I've been answering questions to help the police. I am not directly concerned with their inquiries."

City of London Police interviewed the men, after arresting them on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and false accounting.

Up to 60 officers were involved in searches at eight addresses at locations across the UK - including Redknapp's luxury home in Poole, Dorset.

Redknapp confirmed he had been arrested and added: "They have to arrest you to talk to you, for you to be in the police station. I think that's the end of it."

Redknapp confirmed that as well as himself, Mandaric and Storrie were also arrested. Speaking outside the police station, Paul Martin, the solicitor representing Redknapp and Storrie, stressed the pair were co-operating with detectives.

"They have been assisting the police with inquiries," he said. "The inquiries do not relate to either of those individuals - they relate to entirely different individuals.

"They are ongoing investigations in relation to those other individuals, and for that reason they are unable to comment further - and there is nothing that they can discuss."