Manchester City have completed the signing of Benjani Mwaruwari from Portsmouth for an initial fee of £3.87million.
Striker leaves Portsmouth for initial £3.87m fee
Manchester City have completed the signing of Benjani Mwaruwari from Portsmouth for an initial fee of £3.87million.
The remaining half of the £7.75million fee will be paid in three instalments when the 29-year-old makes 25, 50 and 75 appearances for Sven Goran Eriksson's side.
The striker joins City on a two-and-a-half year deal after passing a medical and agreeing personal terms on Monday.
City had been forced to seek the approval of the Premier League and the Football Association after a last-minute move on the deadline of the January transfer window stalled.
The deal has now been given the go-ahead after the Premier League analysed paper work regarding the move.
Hard work
And City chief executive Alistair Mackintosh has welcomed the conclusion of the drawn out transfer.
"I would like to thank Portsmouth football club, the Premier League and the Football Association for their help, understanding and assistance in enabling this transfer to be completed to the satisfaction of all concerned," Mackintosh told City's
official website.
"In particular I would like to thank Peter Storrie of Portsmouth and Sir David Richards of the Premier League for their hard work and pragmatism."
Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie told the club's official website: "Today's deal has been structured to enable Benji to join Manchester City without any further delay.
"We were asked by the Premier League if we could work with City on a restructuring the original deal. We were under no obligation to do so as the Premier League had received all the necessary documents before the transfer deadline.
Tremendous
"However. Benji has been a tremendous servant to Pompey so we have agreed that City can pay half the £7.75million fee up front with the other split equally over 25, 50 and 75 appearances.
"City has expressed some concern over a knee operation 18 months ago but, as Benji has never shown any sign of trouble since the operation and rarely misses a match or training, we were happy to come to this arrangement."
Meanwhile, City boss Eriksson has also admitted his delight as he bids to strengthen his forward line in an attempt to qualify for Europe.
"I am delighted that we have signed such a quality player, and I am looking forward to working with him straight away," Eriksson added.
