The 23-year-old has been linked with a move away from Fratton Park since the end of last season, with Arsenal and Roma also reported to be interested in the Croatian.

The Pompey boss told The News: "Monaco have come in for Niko and offered around £12million for him. We wouldn't sell him and he didn't want to go anyway so that was the end of that one.

"No disrespect, but why would he want to go there anyway? They get 6,000 people watching them.

"You go there on a weekend and it's a unique experience, people aren't interested in the football. They all go out on the Saturday night and get dressed up for dinner, not to watch football."