Berkovic played under Redknapp at West Ham United, signing for £1.75 million from Pompey's south coast rivals Southampton, where he made his name assisting in the distruction of Manchester United in a 6-3 win at The Dell in 1996. However, he left Upton Park under a cloud after an infamous training incident with John Hartson, being offloaded to Glasgow Celtic in a deal worth over £5 million.
Such a move for Berkovic may be good news for a Portsmouth team lacking a creative touch in midfield - Nigel Quashie has failed to bridge the gap left by Paul Merson's departure in pre-season outings.