Manchester City FC

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City miss out on Benjani

01 Feb 2008 - 07:19:10

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Manchester City failed to clinch the signing of Portsmouth striker Benjani Mwaruwari is an dramatic final few minutes of transfer deadline day.

The Zimbabwe international striker was expected to join Sven-Goran Eriksson's side for an undisclosed fee believed to be around the £8million mark.

Benjani was allowed to speak with City after Pompey decided to make a move for unsettled Tottenham Hotspur striker Jermain Defoe.

However, the 29-year-old striker only arrived at City's training ground at 11pm and club officials were unable to complete the formalities of his move in time for the midnight deadline.

"Due to the late arrival of the player in Manchester, we were unable to complete the transfer," spokesman Paul Tyrrell told the club's official website.

Earlier on deadline day, City did sign Ecuador striker Felipe Caicedo in a reported £5.2million deal from Swiss side FC Basel.

The 19-year-old forward was awarded a work permit on Thursday afternoon which enabled him to sign a four-and-a-half year contract at the City of Manchester Stadium.

Eriksson was desperate to bolster his striking options after allowing Rolando Bianchi and Giorgios Samaras to leave on loan this month.

The Swede had also seen new signing Nery Castillo join Valeri Bojinov on the treatment table with a dislocated shoulder.