Harry Redknapp has admitted that he lied to a tabloid journalist in order to prevent a story being published about an offshore bank account in Monaco.

The Tottenham Hotspur manager, who took to the stand for the second day at Southwark Crown Court, revealed that he told News of the World reporter Rob Beasley ahead of the 2009 Carling Cup final against Manchester United that the £189,000 payment was a collection of bonuses received from the sale of Peter Crouch as opposed to an investment with Milan Mandaric.

"I don't have to tell Mr Beasley the truth," Redknapp told the court. "I have to tell police the truth, not Mr Beasley, he's a News of the World reporter.

"I just didn't want a story in the paper. I was going to come down to breakfast and all my players were going to be looking at the back page of the News of the World. It was going to be embarrassing."

The 64-year-old, who was being questioned by prosecution barrister John Black QC, also claimed that he may have given the wrong information to Premier League bung investigators in 2007 during a Quest Inquiry.

"Sometimes I may say the wrong words but I do not do it purposely," added Redknapp. "As I have said many times Mr Black, if I don't go to Quest and tell them about that account, nobody knows.

"Half the managers didn't even tell them, if I didn't tell them it's dead."

Redknapp and former Portsmouth chairman Madaric deny two counts of cheating the public revenue.