Striker in limbo as City try to pull out of Benjani deal with Pompey

The Zimbabwe striker is in limbo after Manchester City attempted to pull out of a deal with Portsmouth when a test highlighted a potential problem with his knees.

The Barclays Premier League failed to reach a conclusion after a day of deliberation and Portsmouth and City are now at loggerheads.

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Although League officials confirmed on Friday that the correct documentation arrived from both clubs, their lawyers are sifting through a legal minefield after City refused to go through with the deal.

City boss Sven Goran Eriksson maintains he wants to sign the Pompey striker but City officials are not convinced the player wants to move.

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Benjani missed the 3.15pm flight from Eastleigh and then, to City's consternation, the next plane that left at 5pm.

The following flight to Manchester was cancelled before Benjani arrived on the delayed 8.50, reaching the Carrington complex at 11.10pm for a short, unsatisfactory medical.

Despite doubts over Benjani's commitment, City began faxing through documentation to the Premier League and triggered Jermain Defoe's £9m move from Tottenham to Fratton Park.

Pompey hoped to use the cash from Benjani's transfer to fund Defoe's move, but manager Harry Redknapp may now be forced to take him back if the legal wrangle cannot be resolved.

The Premier League are proposing arbitration and hope the clubs can iron out a reduced fee based on the medical.

Redknapp said: "The worst case scenario is we get Benjani back, but £9m for someone who is nearly 30 is good money. The two deals were tied in. I wouldn't have got Defoe if I didn't think Benjani was going.

"I was sitting in the office when Peter Storrie (chief executive) got a call from City and said 'yes, it's done'. He was told the forms were being faxed through and the deal was done.

"Peter got our forms faxed off for Defoe with a minute to spare. Then we had a phone call at about 12.30am to say Benjani's forms hadn't gone through.

"He's still in Manchester. He was late getting there and that caused a problem. He knew the night before but he took a long time arriving. We were reluctant to lose him but I still think the deal will go through."

Portsmouth will give Defoe his debut against Chelsea at Fratton Park today.

The former Spurs striker admitted he became frustrated with the lack of opportunities at White Hart Lane.

Despite spending most of the time on the substitutes' bench, he scored 43 goals in 139 games and the chance to join Redknapp, his manager when he started out at West Ham, was too good to turn down.

Defoe, 26, said: "It has been frustrating not to play, then starting a game and then missing the next. Really frustrating. There comes a time when you can't handle sitting on the bench. I just want to score goals and that's when I'm at my happiest.

"I'm just glad it's done and I'm a Portsmouth player. You can imagine how I felt about not playing. Sometimes you're working hard for no reason, but I think I've learned to button my lip. I've got a bit older — and my mum keeps me in check."

Tottenham revealed they decided to sell Defoe when he refused to sign a new contract.

He trained with his new Portsmouth team-mates yesterday and he will be paired alongside Milan Baros this afternoon.

Defoe was left out of Fabio Capello's first England squad on Thursday, but he accepts his fate after another season of frustration at Spurs.

He added: "If you're not playing how can you get in? You have to get in on merit. I would have been surprised to have been in the squad, to be honest. This move has been on the cards for a little while. It's a fresh start and I'm really looking forward to it."