The Sun says Ashley is determined to land the Portsmouth chief and will hand him a whopping four-year deal worth £5m a year - that's five times what he is on at Pompey.

Ashley will also:

• Allow Redknapp to commute to work by plane from his beloved South Coast.
• Hand him a transfer war chest to go for men like Spurs' Pascal Chimbonda.
• Pay Pompey £3m compensation.

Redknapp, 60, has told pals he has taken Portsmouth as far as he can and would welcome the challenge at St James'.

But the deal is far from done. Brother-in-law Frank Lampard Snr said: "He's a top, top manager but I don't know if he would leave the South Coast, to be fair.

"He's settled down there. He likes taking his dogs for a walk along the coast. But time will tell, I suppose."