NEW YORK (Bloomberg) — Harry Redknapp will stay as manager of Portsmouth after being mentioned in media reports as the top candidate for the vacant job at Newcastle, the Premier League soccer club said.

The Mail and the Independent reported yesterday that Newcastle would ask Portsmouth for permission to speak with Redknapp about the post after Sam Allardyce left on Wednesday.

"The club has received no approaches for the services of our valued manager Harry Redknapp," Portsmouth said in a statement on its Web site. "He remains as committed as ever to this football club."

Redknapp recently signed a four-year contract until 2011 with Portsmouth. He led the club to a ninth-place finish in the 20-team league last season, its highest in 52 years. Portsmouth is eighth this season.

"We take it as a compliment that our players and personnel are often linked with some of the top football clubs in the country and indeed abroad," Portsmouth said. "It is a testimony to the quality of their work."

Allardyce left Newcastle after eight months in what the club called a "mutual agreement." Newcastle has won seven of 21 matches this season and is 11th with 26 points.