Benjani completes City move, gets jersey number 26

Benjani completes City move, gets jersey number 26

• Eriksson confident Benjani will join City

• Benjani's City transfer appears back on

• Benjani's move to Manchester City falls through

• Benjani to seal £9,7 million move to Manchester City

• Benjani fires ZIFA warning over coach

• Portsmouth open contract talks with Benjani

• Juventus set for £7 million Benjani raid

• Mwaruwari nets 8th league goal in Pompey romp

• Mwaruwari tops premiership scorers' charts

• Mwaruwari scores in Manchester United draw

• Mwaruwari fires Pompey into Asia Trophy final

• Mwaruwari sets Pompey target

By Sports Reporter

BENJANI Mwaruwari has completed his £9,7 million move from Portsmouth to Manchester City after a week of uncertainty, he exclusively told New Zimbabwe.com on Monday.

"I'm glad it's over and I can get back to playing football," Mwaruwari said by phone from his hotel in Manchester where he has been holed up since the transfer deadline passed at midnight Thursday.

He signed a three-and-half-year deal and will earn about £60 000 a week.

"I underwent a scan this morning which proved there is nothing wrong with my knee, contrary to what some people have been saying in the media.

"The doctor only said there was excess fluids on my knees, which is normal. A serious knee injury is one that affects the cartridge, ligaments or muscles.

"I am sad that this transfer which should have been straight-forward ended with all this drama and unscertainty.

"But I am proud of all the messages of support I received from football fans, especially Zimbabweans around the world who are genuinely delighted with what is a historic moment for the country.

"I expect to join up with my new Manchester City teammates on Tuesday."

Mwaruwari revealed he had picked jersey number 26.

Mwaruwari should have sealed his move on Thursday but Manchester City dramatically botched the transfer when they withheld a single page of an eight-page fax to the FA and Premier League confirming the transfer, with seconds to spare before the transfer window closed.

Portsmouth, who were banking on financing their acquisition of Jermain Defoe from the transfer fee for Mwaruwari, were forced to take the Tottenham ace on a short-term loan which can now be made permanent.

Manchester City manager Sven Eriksson said he was bemused by City's failure to conclude the transfer on Thursday, which would have allowed the 29-year-old Zimbabwe soccer captain to feature in City's 3-1 surrender against league leaders, Arsenal.

"I want him here and he wants to come, I strongly believe that," Eriksson said on Sunday. "I can't speak to him directly until he is a Manchester City player but that is what I believe."

Eriksson was also upset by claims in weekend newspapers that City wanted to reverse the deal because the 12-goal striker had a knee problem.

He blasted: "A lot has been said and written by people who don't know the facts."
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