" CITY Chief Executive Alistair Mackintosh can take a bow after sealing one
of the most remarkable transfers of modern times.

By sticking to his guns and refusing to be railroaded by selling club
Portsmouth, Mackintosh has driven a remarkable bargain.

The Blues will today deposit £3.87million into Pompey's bank account for
29-year-old Benjani - only half the original asking price for the 12-goal
striker.

City played hardball with the south coast club who are believed to be short
of cash and will soon have to pay for Jermain Defoe's move from Spurs and
fund Lassana Diarra's switch from Arsenal.

The proposed Benjani transfer ended in some confusion on transfer deadline
day last Thursday.

Portsmouth thought a deal had been done, enabling them to buy England
striker Defoe. But the Blues were adamant that the midnight deadline had
ticked by without the requisite paperwork having been completed.

They were also concerned that the player's late arrival in Manchester - just
50 minutes before the deadline - meant that proper medical checks were not
carried out.

Impasse

The impasse was broken by the Premier League on Monday when, after studying
the evidence provided by the completed paperwork, they gave the two sides
permission to negotiate.

It was a move not completely without precedent, but one that tipped the
balance of power in the negotiations heavily in the Blues favour changing a
seller's market to a buyer's.

With Portsmouth only allowed to continue to talk terms for Benjani's sale
with the original bidding club - City - and not permitted to tout him
elsewhere, they were between a rock and hard place.

Eventually hours of talks brought about the half price deal, though City
will pay further increments depending on the number of appearances the
forward makes.

Benjani, who signed on a two-and-a-half year contract and not the
three-and-half one mooted last week, will have to reach 75 starts (excluding
the Carling Cup) before Pompey will receive the extra cash.

With only 13 more possible outings this season the former Fratton Park
terrace hero could be near the end of his contract when that happens.

The player who maintained he always wanted to join City despite missing two
planes from Southampton on Thursday, agreed personal terms after a stringent
medical on Monday.

He has stayed in a hotel in Manchester since the transfer deadline passed
and could now make his debut against United on Sunday.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_city/s/1035174_cut_price_benjani_a_real_steal

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