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Defoe completes Pompey switch
01/02/2008 09:32 - (SA)
London - England striker Jermain Defoe's transfer to Portsmouth was finally sealed in the early hours of Friday but Benjani Mwaruwari's proposed move to Manchester City from Portsmouth fell through.
Tottenham Hotspur had earlier accepted Portsmouth's offer for Defoe who travelled to Fratton Park for a medical and to agree personal terms.
The Defoe deal was delayed while Benjani tried unsuccessfully to seal a move to City as the midnight deadline approached.
Portsmouth's website said they had paid an undisclosed fee for the 25-year-old Defoe, who has signed a long-term deal.
Manager Harry Redknapp, who signed Defoe for West Ham United from Charlton Athletic in 1999, was delighted to be reunited with the striker.
"He's a great goalscorer and he's a great signing for this club," Redknapp told Sky Sports News. "He needs to play. He's too good a player not to be playing every week."
Defoe joined Tottenham from West Ham in 2004 for seven million pounds and he was the club's top scorer in his first full season with 22 goals.
But he played second fiddle to Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov last season and has been restricted to just three league starts in the current campaign. He has still scored eight goals in all competitions.
"The club has reluctantly agreed the transfer of Jermain in light of there being less than 18 months left on his contract," Tottenham said on their website.
Defoe's lack of first-team opportunities cost him a place in England's squad at the 2006 Soccer World Cup and he was left out of new coach Fabio Capello's first squad on Thursday.
He scored 64 goals in 110 starts and 67 substitute appearances for Tottenham after bagging 41 in 105 games for West Ham. He has 26 England caps.
Portsmouth will have both Defoe and Benjani available for the home match against Chelsea on Saturday.
"Manchester City can confirm that the proposed transfer of Portsmouth striker Benjani to the Blues was unsuccessful," a Manchester City statement read.
"Due to the late arrival of the player in Manchester we were unable to complete the transfer."
- Reuters
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