Mandaric: I will stay

Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric has pledged to stay at Fratton Park next season, raising hopes of manager Harry Redknapp agreeing a new contract.

Redknapp, who masterminded Pompey’s Premiership survival this season, could sign a new deal after the final game of the campaign, at home to Liverpool on Sunday.

Serb-American businessman Mandaric, 67, took over the reins at Fratton Park seven years ago and then sold half his stake in the club for £15m (€21.8m) to Franco-Russian property tycoon Alexandre Gaydamak in January.

Former West Ham boss Redknapp returned to the club in December after a year at rivals Southampton, but he has refused to talk about signing a new long-term deal with the club until he was assured about Mandaric’s future.

Mandaric has now ended the uncertainty, although he will eventually sell the rest of his stake in the club to Gaydamak.

“My future here is very solid,” Mandaric said. “Yes, I can tell our supporters I will be chairman next season for the whole of the season.

“One day I will leave and hand everything over to ‘Sacha’ (Gaydamak). But before I go I want to see the stadium rebuilt and the club in a new training ground.

“I’ve been talking to ‘Sacha’ every day about Harry and we both respect him and think he has done a tremendous job. So we will sit down with him towards the end of the week and discuss his situation.

“I can’t see why he won’t be here next season.”

Meanwhile, former Portsmouth manager Alain Perrin is believed to have been interviewed for the job of head coach by the Mali Football Federation.