Buzzin Football

The transfer that almost never was, Benjani from Portsmouth to Manchester City, almost fell through because the Zimbabwe International fell asleep at the airport.

Portsmouth chairman Peter Storrie confirmed earlier reports that Benjani had missed a couple of flights to Manchester last Thursday, but shed new light on just how it happened. Benjani had fallen asleep at the airport and missed two flights, Storrie revealed, and then the next flight was cancelled and the final 20.30 flight was delayed.

Benjani eventually arrived at Manchester at 22.30, too late to complete a medical and complete all the documentation required by the Football league. The deal was finally sanctioned on Monday and Benjani joined City on Monday of this week.

To rub salt into the wound it turns out that Manchester City had first approached Portsmouth about Benjani a week before the transfer deadline, but the south coast club couldn’t get hold of Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy, who was in the USA on business, to negotiate a deal for Jermain Defoe.