The Premier League are examining the paperwork involved in Benjani Mwaruwari's proposed move to Manchester City, with Portsmouth still hoping the striker's transfer will go through.

It is understood City - who announced the deal had collapsed because they missed Thursday night's transfer deadline - got cold feet over the 29-year-old but Pompey have claimed the transfer had been signed.

A Premier League spokesman said: "We are still examining the paperwork."

Pompey boss Harry Redknapp said the club's chief executive Peter Storrie was in discussions with the Premier League.

"Man City sent half the forms off and I'm not sure where it went from there," Redknapp told BBC Radio Five Live.

"I know that Peter Storrie was told that the deal was done.

"Peter's on the case this morning with the Premier League, seeing where we go with it."

Redknapp admitted failing to sell Benjani would leave Portsmouth out of pocket because they were hoping to recoup the reported £7million spent signing Jermain Defoe from Tottenham last night.

"If 'Benj' is back then we'll have to see where we go with that one," Redknapp said.

"He's a good player and we didn't want to lose him. But we just needed to balance the books with him going and Defoe coming."

Redknapp said Portsmouth had been contacted by City just before midnight. He told a news conference on Friday: "We got the call from them at 11.55pm that their forms had gone through and that's when Peter Storrie gave the go-ahead for our forms (to register Defoe) to go through.

"Once their forms were sent, we had to get ours off very quickly. I thought we were struggling for time.

"Their one had dragged on a bit because Benji had a bit of a delay getting there with one thing and another.

"As far as we knew, they sent their forms so I don't see why there should be a problem.

"If Benji is back we'll just have to see where we go with that one. He's a good player and we didn't want to lose him but we had to try to balance the books."

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