Blades allow Pompey to speak to Warnock

Mangerless Premiership strugglers Portsmouth were given permission to speak to Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock, their first-choice to replace Alain Perrin, seen here in April 2005, at the south coast club

Mangerless Premiership strugglers Portsmouth were given permission to speak to Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock, their first-choice to fill the vacancy at Fratton Park.

The 57-year-old has been favourite to replace Alain Perrin at the south coast club after the Frenchman was sacked last week following Portsmouth's recent drop to the relegation zone.

A United statement said: "After a long discussion and careful consideration Sheffield United have reluctantly agreed, conditional on suitable compensation, to make Neil Warnock available to speak to Portsmouth.

"The continued success of the club has been paramount to the thinking and in these difficult times it is imperative for supporters to get behind the club." The Bramall Lane side are currently second in the English Championship and pushing for promotion to the Premiership. But Warnock's contract expires at the end of the season and the board have yet to open talks on a new deal.

Warnock, a lifelong United fan, has so far refused to comment on Pompey's approaches as he prepares his side for this weekend's derby match with Sheffield Wednesday.

Warnock became manager of United six years ago and in 2003 was 90 minutes away from leading them back into the Premiership when they lost the play-off final to Wolves.

He has reportedly been offered a contract worth one million pounds a season over three-and-a-half years.

"We just received verbal authorisation to speak with Neil Warnock and we have two other candidates we are considering," Pompey chairman Milan Mandaric said Wednesday.

Mandaric however admitted he still had not given up hope of talking to under-pressure Rangers manager Alex McLeish, despite the Scottish champions' refusal on Tuesday.

"I want to speak with all the managers face to face. I want to find out which one of them is the right man to turn things around," Mandaric said.

"It will be impossible to have the new manager in place this Saturday (for the match away to Manchester United), so we hope to have everything concluded before we play Tottenham the following weekend."

Crystal Palace manager Iain Dowie has ruled himself out but former manager Harry Redknapp has been installed by leading British bookmakers as 11/10 favourite for a return to the club he left last year for arch-rivals Southampton.

However Saints chairman Rupert Lowe, whose club were relegated last season, said: "Milan Mandaric has not made an approach and there is no sign of one."

Redknapp turned Portsmouth from a club struggling at the foot of the old First Division to a mid-table Premiership team in two and a half years.

But he left when he felt his authority was being compromised.

Now he is reported to be unhappy with the appointment of England World Cup-winning rugby union coach Sir Clive Woodward as Southampton's performance director.

But last weekend Redknapp said of a return to Portsmouth: "Do me a favour. If I said I wanted to go back now I would be crucified. That's all I need."