You know it’s transfer deadline day when you hear Harry Redknapp’s name floating about.
The former Premier League gaffer was renowned for his drive-by interviews, striking a deal for all kinds of players with the clock ticking on the transfer window.
Benjani lifted the lid on his transfer sagaRex
PA:Press AssociationHarry Redknapp oversaw Benjani’s move to Manchester City[/caption]
One of Redknapp’s most famous antics was shipping Portsmouth‘s star striker Benjani Mwaruwari off to Manchester City on deadline day in January 2008 – the season Pompey lifted the FA Cup before numerous financial troubles saw them slip down the EFL pyramid.
Pompey had already confirmed the signing of Benjani’s replacement, Jermain Defoe, having accepted a £7.6million bid for the Zimbabwean striker.
Now, all has finally been revealed on one of the most bizarre transfer sagas in recent living memory.
Redknapp, speaking to the BBC, recalled Sven-Goran Eriksson – then Man City boss – had offered Pompey a sum “too good to turn down”.
So he shipped Benjani off to Southampton airport, and that’s when chaos ensued.
The Pompey boss received a call saying Benjani hadn’t arrived at Manchester airport, and it was later claimed that he had missed two flights, and a third had been cancelled.
Redknapp told the BBC he called Benjani, asking what on earth was going on.
Benjani was still at the airport, with the striker allegedly having second thoughts about a move.
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Now, for the first time, Benjani has revealed what really went down on that infamous deadline day – claiming “I’m the only person that knows what happened”.
He said: “Before this interview, I always have a lot of questions about that.
“The flight? Delayed. And my phone, now, I didn’t bring the charger, my phone is dead!”
He recalled both Pompey and Man City “trying to locate” him, stressing that he hadn’t fallen asleep in the airport, and did in fact want to go to the Etihad!
He continued: “I made the decision, I want to go!”
Benjani eventually arrived at Man City’s training ground at 11:10pm, with barely enough time to complete the deal.
He said: “It was five minutes to 12, everything was just a mess there. The fax machine broke down, so only one or two papers, they went through and the rest were [missing].”
The transfer eventually went through on February 5 2008, for a £3.87million fee, with bonuses set to take the deal up to the originally reported £7.6million.
Benjani bagged his first Man City goal just five days later, scoring the winner against Manchester United in the Manchester derby.
After spells with Sunderland and Blackburn, Benjani made a season-long return to Fratton Park in 2011, before finishing his career at South African sides Chippa United and Bidvest Wits.
He is now working within the Plymouth Argyle Academy as one of the club’s youth coaches.
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