Harry Redknapp revealed that record signing Dejan Stefanovic agreed to a drop in wages before turning down Glasgow Rangers for Pompey.

Pompey boss Redknapp has shelled out £1.85m on Serbia & Montenegro defender Stefanovic, who arrives at Fratton Park after four years at Vitesse Arnhem.

The 28-year-old former Sheffield Wednesday man will be a natural replacement for fellow left-sided defender Gianluca Festa, who returned to Italy last month.

Redknapp revealed: "Stefanovic has taken a drop in wages to come here. I don't want to say by how much because it's not fair on him, but he did it because he wants to play in the Premiership for us.

"Rangers came in strong for him at the end but he'd already made up his mind that he wanted to come to us.

"We're well pleased that he wanted to come to us over Rangers. The Premiership is a better league than the Scottish Premier anyway.

"He'll be a great player for us. He's a terrific passer of the ball, he passes like a quality midfielder - and he's fantastic in the air. He's got a great attitude and is a terrific professional. He's been captain of Vitesse Arnhem, he really wants to win and loves it in England. He's going to spend the rest of his life here and bring up his kids in England."

Redknapp is confident that Stefanovic's second spell in England will be more rewarding than his first with Wednesday, whom he left Red Star Belgrade for as a 20-year-old.

"He went up to Sheffield Wednesday as a young player. I don't think it was easy for him there," added Redknapp.

"They were going through managers every couple of months then - David Pleat signed him, then Ron Atkinson came in followed by Danny Wilson.

"He played a lot at left back and in midfield when his best place is in central defence."

Redknapp is now chasing the Wimbledon midfield pair of 19-year-old Nigel Reo Coker and Jobi McAnuff, 21, who both impressed against Pompey last season.

Meanwhile, Teddy Sheringham will not decide whether to take a 50 per cent drop from his £40,000-a-week wages to move to Fratton Park until the end of his holiday in Sardinia.