While uncertainty remains over whether Benjani will remain at Portsmouth or sign for Manchester City, The Guardian report that Pompey have not yet signed Jermain Defoe permanently. The striker, who was yesterday called up by Fabio Capello as a replacement for Gabriel Agbonlahor, was initially signed on loan from Tottenham due to the time constraints in processing the necessary paperwork, with the south coast club expecting to make the deal permanent later in the week.
A Portsmouth spokesman explained: “The Defoe transfer was done as an initial loan because of time restraint. The full documents will be signed and registered this week and this is a standard method when you have little time.”
Defoe got off the mark on his Pompey debut on Saturday, scoring against Chelsea. The diminutive striker must hardly be able to believe his change of fortune; last week he was warming the subs bench for Spurs and seemingly nowhere near the England squad, now he’s the flavour of the month.