City get their way

Zimbabwe striker Benjani has made his transfer to Manchester City from Portsmouth official for the discounted price of 3.87m pounds. The transfer had been in doubt when the player arrived in Manchester only an hour before the window closed.

It’s a partial victory for City, who had demanded new terms on the deal, but they may still end up paying the entire fee if Benjani makes 75 senior starts, as well as a few other terms. The contract was also shortened from 3 ½ to 2 ½ years.

Benjani also passed a medical on Monday amid rumors that the player had a knee problem.

The Benjani mess

It appears that Manchester City are looking to renege on a transfer deal made for striker Benjani from Portsmouth. It appears that Sven-Goran Eriksson wants the Zimbabwean international on loan.
Were the deal done a few hours earlier, there would have been no argument and Benjani would have probably started against Arsenal. A 7.5m fee was agreed but there has been an argument as to whether a deal was done before the transfer deadline.

Benjani appears to be the big loser in all of this, he’s frozen out of both sides and not appears to be ready to join a team that doesn’t really want to sign him. He arrived in Manchester just 50 minutes before the January transfer window closed to sign a deal which he signed, so I ask, what is City complaining about? “Feeling pressured” just doesn’t cut it. City were pressured because they moved 2 strikers and were left empty handed after a series of potential deals fell thru. With nothing to show for the transfer window, the only pressure came from the fact that they needed a player.

City claim that they didn’t have enough time to complete a medical, and they wanted transparency as to ownership rights for the player and the fact that he was named in Lord Steven’s report. But Walter Pandiani switched from Deportivo la Coruna to Birmingham after the deadline day because of insufficient time. I see no reason this couldn’t be settled the same way.


The rumor is that Manchester City were suffering from buyer’s remorse. I don’t see why, I think he’s a great, hard working player. The Premier League are expected to decide the outcome on Monday.

Has Tottenham beaten out rivals for Brazilian?

Tottenham is on the verge of edging out Paris St. Germain, Portsmouth, West Ham, Middlesbrough and Manchester City to the signing of Brazilian international striker Fred from Lyon.

Seems a bit counter intuitive to me. Tottenham has scored 42 goals this season, no worries there, but has leaked an incredible 40, that’s a relegation number. Dimitar Berbatov doesn’t look to be heading away from the Lane, and the club has seen the return of Ledley King which will hopefully lend some stability. I don’t see a reason to do it except that they are picking up a pretty good bargain, around 9-11m pounds.

Harry Redknapp may offer Jermain Defoe a way out of Tottenham.

Another reason the Fred deal looks set is because Jermain Defoe has been told he can go and Darren Bent is being shopped around. Personally, I’d rather have Fred than either Defoe or Bent, but how can it be that players can barely last a season after a 16m pound move. I mean, hey, this wasn’t just up to Martin Jol.

Fred, 24, has lost his regular starting spot at the 5 times French champions to Karim Benzema who has wowed everyone with some stunning football.

Fred has finally spoken out to the media about his future:

“I hope my future will be sorted on Wednesday, I have two offers, one from Tottenham and one from Paris St Germain”

Redknapp leaves Portsmouth training early, signs of flight

An official approach has been rumored for 60 year old Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp by Newcastle United, as earlier he drove away from the club’s Eastleigh training base with Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie, fueling speculation of a flight.

The mysterious departure took place around noon and he also cancelled a news conference scheduled for today.

While Redknapp was quoted with the explanation that he was meeting with Storrie regarding a few new players he wanted before the weekend, it is more likely that the meeting was regarding Newcastle. While Redknapp said there had been no contact, the comments came before the noontime exit. Things can change quickly and Redknapp has not ruled himself out.

Curious though:

"Money would not be an issue to me, I wouldn't go anywhere just for the money."

Well, why would he leave Portsmouth, playing better, better players, settled, and a team getting better? A big transfer kitty won’t hurt, but how much more can a club possibly spend before they are actually better?

Redknapp just signed a new contract in October to remain at Portsmouth until 2011. But Newcastle owner Mike Ashley would have to make a huge payout to release Redknapp from his Fratton Park contract.

City and Villa make formal inquiries for striker

Manchester City and Aston Villa have both made formal inquiries to Newcastle United for Nigerian international striker Obafemi Martins. The news has piqued the interest of Portsmouth and Tottenham for signs that Newcastle will be accepting offers.

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Manchester City has already admitted they are looking to bolster their front line but an official approach by Aston Villa could lead rise to the speculation that Gabriel Agbonlahor could be headed to Arsenal. I was surprised at Villa’s move, but in any event it appears the race is on with no less than 4 clubs interested.

Martins has a release clause in his contract of 13m pounds, a number which is keeping a move from happening. It has been indicated that Martins prefers a move to Manchester City but only Aston Villa appear willing to meet that price tag.

Martins has signalled his frustration at Sam Allardyce’s tactics this season, especially his substitution rate, he has started 11 games, 9 of which saw him substituted, he’s been a sub 6 times.

As for Tottenham and Portsmouth, the chances are remote. Portsmouth have resigned themselves to the fact that John Utaka will be leaving at the end of the season with interest from allover Europe (note to interested clubs, he needs to learn to cross better). Tottenham would be better served working on their back line than buying yet another player. With 4 good strikers on the books, Martins would not add anything unless Berbatov leaves.

As for City, they have money and Newcastle knows it. If any club mentioned here needs a striker its them. Can you imagine Martins’s pace running onto Elano’s thru balls?

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Corruption probe sees 5 arrests, lands big fish

5 arrests have taken place today in connection with a police probe into bung payments within the Premiership. Portsouth manager Harry Redknapp is the biggest fish caught in the probe, bu but Leicester City chairman Milan Mandaric, Rangers midfielder Amdy Faye (on loan from Charlton), and prominent agent Willie McKay all also brought in by police.

Portsmouth have confirmed the Redknapp news and he was held at Chichester police station on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and false accounting.

Mandaric, as well as the others brought in were all arrested in pre-dawn raids after 60 police officers searched eight addresses.

It appears the transfer of Faye from Auxerre to Portsmouth in 2005 is the source of the problem. Mandaric was the chairman at the time, while McKay acted as agent.

Tottenham defender Pascal Chimbonda (a player McKay also represents) was arrested on suspicion of fraud back in September, and is currently out on bail.

Liverpool striker chased by Italian and pair of Premiership clubs

Peter Crouch may be moving on during the transfer window. Juventus, Manchester City and Portsmouth are both vying for the player’s services.

Portsmouth have expressed interest, as Harry Redknapp, who has already sold Peter Crouch twice, will make a third attempt to re-sign the striker as he continues to build a strong side at Portsmouth.

Sven Goran-Eriksson is also interested as the rumors persist that he will be handed a massive transfer kitty during the January window and it appears Crouch is tall on his list.

But Liverpool appear disinterested in selling the striker to another Premiership club and it’s been rumored that Juventus are interested in the striker to coming to Italy. Apparently Crouch is interested in the chance to play abroad.

Crouch has slipped to fourth choice at Liverpool and he is out of contract at the end of next season which means that Liverpool will look to sell sooner rather than later should they choose to let Crouch go.

Pompey out of their minds?

Has Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp got a screw loose? He’s always been, shall we say, eccentric, but selling a player after just a month and a handful of games would be a new record of some kind, surely. It’s always been managers who have traditionally seen short stays at a club but this time it could be a player as the club has admitted David Nugent is on the block with Derby County interested as they attempt to sign Nicolas Anelka from Bolton before the transfer window closes.

Nugent was signed from Preston during the summer and scored his first goal for the club in a Carling Cup win against woeful Leeds United. Selling him to Preston would link the player back up with his former manager Billy Davies.

"Sometimes when you are trying to raise money you have to sell someone you don't really want to sell. That could be David but it could be others. What we need is somebody who can get us 15 to 20 goals a season and if we can do some good business and improve the team we will." –Redknapp

Sorry, ‘arry, but this would not be an example of good business. First off, what message do you send to future young players you want to sign? Second, Pompey don’t seem lacking in goal scoring, 6 goals in their first 4 games is as good as anyone else in the Premiership. Their problem is that they have leaked 5. They should have never conceded in the 84th minute against Derby and if they didn’t, would be sitting on 7 points and a spot in the top 5.

If you sign a young player, he deserves a chance. Nugent is not some girl at a bar you toss off because a cuter one walks by. Harry Redknapp, for all of his ability to make a great deal would become nothing more than a cut-throat shark in my mind. I gave him a pass on his come-go-return to Pompey a few seasons ago when he left for and then left Southampton, but it would change my view on that. Redknapp would become no more than another opportunist in a world already full of them.

Tottenham close to left sided midfielder

Portsmouth left midfielder Matt Taylor, scorer of 9 goals last season appears ready to boyhood favorites Tottenham.

Spurs boss Martin Jol apparently seems set to fix his left sided problems with the 25 year old who often plays left back. Portsmouth are apparently open to a deal, but the fans may not like it too much as Taylor is a crowd favorite and a solid player at that. Just the other day I posted his two incredible 45 yard goals, worth a look.

Taylor is a former England under-21 and is valued at about 5m pounds. Tottenham have realized in the early season just how big a hole they have on the left and must quickly move to remedy the situation. Even though Young-Pyo and Gareth Bale are health again, Tottenham are weak in this area and should definitely move for Taylor.

Portsmouth are looking to put together funds to but Nicolas Anelka from Bolton and appear ready to make some sacrifices to get their man.

One from 40 yards out is incredible, but two?

Matthew Taylor was in rare form last season for scoring incredible goals. Against Sunderland and Everton last season he uncorked a pair of incredible goals for Portsmouth from over 40 yards out each.

He scored them both from almost the same spot on the pitch as well. It reminds me of something my grandmother once said on a visit which even today makes me laugh. To put it in context, she knew nothing about football or television for that matter, she didn’t even have one. I was about 10 years old, she was walking thru the room as a goal was scored; she saw it and pretended to care by asking who was winning. My father told her. She stared at the TV for a moment and as they showed the replay she remarked “oh, dear look, they’ve scored another one exactly the same”. Everyone broke out laughing and she couldn’t understand why.

Taylor’s goals were truly world class. In both instances, the goalkeepers were left with no chance. A player would be lucky to score one like this in an entire career. Taylor scored both of his about a season apart.

Here is the first one against Sunderland, October 29, 2005:

And the second, my pick of the pair against Everton, December 9, 2006:

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He’s just too good

He’s too good to let play. And it was on display again when Manchester United drew against Portsmouth midweek. And it’s getting worse. Cristiano Ronaldo is taking a lot of lumps and it will eventually end in a injury.

Last season Ronaldo laid down the gauntlet on the Premiership. This season, as if any more notice needed to be taken, clubs are actively taking to fouling him more than ever in a bid to stop him from playing. I must agree with Alex Ferguson’s comments about the situation, the referee’s need to do more to protect him, and those like him.

I’m by no means suggesting favoritism, more a recognition that “hey, everyone is after him, and the stats prove it, he was the most fouled player in the Premiership last season and is on course to see the same happen again –let’s send a message that you can’t target a player”.

Remember Maradona in the 1990 World Cup? He was fouled incessantly to the point where he said he’d never play internationally again until the rules were changed. Remember “The Butcher of Bilbao” injury? Ronaldo is going to sustain a serious injury if this continues.

Unfortunately, Wednesday the fouling got to him, Ronaldo was sent off for headbutting Richard Hughes. The situation got where it did because referee Steve Bennett didn’t deal with the situation.

“If you have got weak referees then you are going to be suffering. There is a concern players like Ronaldo are going to be the victims ... because it will end up with someone getting a serious injury."

And

"It's very difficult to completely punish Ronaldo or be angry with him, some of the things that are happening to him are not right." -Ferguson

Ferguson is correct. I think you should let the players play but not this. Ronaldo is being hacked up. We don’t want to see him go the way of Marco van Basten and see his career end early.

Portsmouth sign Preston striker (video)

Portsmouth have signed striker David Nugent from Championship side Preston North End for a 6m pound fee beating out Sunderland who also had an offer accepted

The 22 year old passed his medical at Fratton Park and signed a four year contract this morning.

Nugent joins Sylvain Distin, Hermann Hreidarsson, Sulli Muntari as Portsmouth’s summer moves.

While Nugent really wanted Everton to swoop for him, David Moyes would not table more than 4m pounds for the player.

Preston manager Paul Simpson accepted Nugent's insistence on leaving for the Premiership reluctantly and must now look for a replacement despite having strikers Brett Ormerod, Neil Mellor, Patrick Agyemang and Karl Hawley on the books. None scored as many. Preston missed out on the Championship play-offs on the final day of last season. Not a bad profit though, Preston paid 100,000 pounds in 2005 for the player.

Nugent made his England debut as a substitute against Andorra in March and scored on the occasion. He’s featured often in the junior sides.

It’s an important acquisition for Pompey as they will be without Benjani and Lua Lua for a significant part of the season as both players are planning to play in the African Cup of Nations.

Here is a video of your new man:

The Ben Thatcher hatchet job

Charlton Athletic defender Ben Thatcher is lucky (for the FOURTH time) that he didn’t end a career, even a life. When he was with Manchester City he floored Pedro Mendes so violently that afterwards the Portsmouth midfielder laid completely knocked out and had a seizure and needed oxygen on the way to the hospital.

The Mendes incident took place in August 2006, and you’d think he had learned a lesson before then because this was not the first time. Thatcher is a dirty player. Not only did he knock Mendes into the advertising boards Thatcher also elbow had hospitalized an opponent during a pre-season tour of China.

Before the incident in China, he made similar challenges against Nicky Summerbee when he was with Wimbledon against Sunderland and Allan Nielsen from Tottenham Hotspur.
See the horror challenge here, what makes me gag most is his ‘what, me?’ reaction in anger afterwards:

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Kanu likely leaving

It appears almost certain that former Nigerian international Nwankwo Kanu will quit Fratton Park this summer after failing to reach agreement on a new contract. This will probably be the end of the player’s career in the Premiership as he appears headed back to Ajax Amsterdam on a free transfer.

The 30 year old striker had a resurgent season scoring 12 times.

Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp expects the player to leave after contract negotiations broke down. He was offered a single year contract and would be given a second year should he play in 20 games for the club.

It appears the 20 game clause is the cause of the contract breakdown. While Redknapp has indicated Portsmouth would extend the contract for a second season in case an injury forces the player under the clause but still maintains good form. The clause is a protection against a great drop in form. It’s not too much to ask from Kanu, who has been known for spats of laziness and swings in form, it would serve as a motivator.