Redknapp denies Barton link

11:40am Wednesday 3rd September 2008

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp has denied that Joey Barton was a target on transfer-deadline day.

There were suggestions the one-cap England midfielder was on his way out of Newcastle but would be snapped up by another Premier League club - with Pompey linked with the player.

"I do not know where it came from because it's absolute rubbish," he told Portsmouth News. "I have not even thought about it. It's just ridiculous, that's all I can say."

He added: "I hadn't even seen the story on Sky.

"I was at Fulham watching our reserves play. Then all of a sudden people kept asking about Joey Barton.

"People were ringing me up going on about him, but it was complete news to me - and you'd think I would know.

"Sure I like him (as a player). Regardless of everything else he's a good player, but I wasn't looking to sign him. It hadn't even crossed my mind to be perfectly honest.

"Besides, I had no money to buy anyone else. I thought everyone knew that."