Manchester City get green light to sign Benjani

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The controversial transfer has taken five days to complete with City using the time to restructure the transfer.

Protracted transfer: Benjani is on his way to City at last

They have slashed the fee from the original £7.7m on offer and also reduced Benjani's contract from four years to two-and-a-half.

City expect the Premier League to ratify the deal outside of the transfer window after being given guidance that it can be completed if both clubs agree.

Sven Goran Eriksson's decision to push through with the move is a relief for Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp.

Portsmouth are desperate to close the deal because they intend to use the money to finance the deferred payments for the permanent £8m transfer of Spurs' Jermaine Defoe, as his transfer was registered as a loan on deadline day.

Benjani's switch from Fratton Park, as first revealed by Sportsmail, will bring to an end the January's window most colourful move.

City were prepared to take the matter to court if Portsmouth had pulled out.

They were far from happy that a medical highlighted a knee problem and that the player turned up only an hour before the midnight transfer deadline after missing two flights.

But Portsmouth could not afford to turn the cash down having committed to the Defoe transfer and are prepared to accept a cut-price deal.

City have now had time to give Benjani full tests after he stayed in Manchester over the weekend and are satisfied he is fully fit.