Portsmouth have admitted that Jermain Defoe's reported £7.5 million move from Tottenham to Fratton Park is only a loan deal - but that a full transfer will be completed later this week.

Defoe grabbed Pompey's equaliser to earn a point on his debut against Chelsea on Saturday and has become an instant hero with the home fans.

The revelation that he is, initially, only on loan is yet another twist in the saga that leaves Benjani Mwaruwari still in limbo, holed up in a Manchester hotel, after his move to Manchester City ran out of time on Thursday night.

But Pompey insist the two situations have no effect on each other - even though manager Harry Redknapp admitted the plan was always to sell Benjani to raise the cash to buy Defoe.

Pompey are confident both transfers will go through this week when the Premier League complete their investigation into why forms from City to register Benjani did not arrive in time to beat the transfer deadline.

A Pompey spokesman explained: "The Defoe transfer was done as an initial loan because of time restraint."

"The full documents will be signed and registered this week and this is a standard method when you have little time."

Redknapp seemed blissfully unaware of the situation after Defoe kept up his record of scoring on debuts for different clubs with a 64th minute leveller which prevented Chelsea setting a club record of 10 straight wins - and a 10th consecutive win over Pompey.

Redknapp said: "I honestly could not tell you the exact details but [at five minutes to midnight on Thursday] the two deals were dependent on each other, with us getting £9million for Benjani and spending it on Defoe."

"I feel for Benjani because at the moment he seems to be the big loser in all this, but hopefully it will all be sorted out on Monday and I think he will end up as a Manchester City player."

"If not, from a greedy football manager's point of view, I'd be delighted to get Benjani back."

"I didn't want to lose him in the first place but, of course, I had to because it is good business to sell a 29-year-old and get in a lad of 25 who is always going to get you goals."

City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson, meanwhile, believes Benjani''s future will be settled early this week.

The Swedish manager said: "I expect a decision to be made either on Monday or Tuesday."

"We have to wait until then to see all the facts of the situation."

"I want him to come and I believe he wants to join us."

Benjani has also indicated that City is his preferred choice.

"I'm still hopeful that the move will go through," he told the Manchester Evening News. "I want to play for Manchester City."

Sporting Life / Eurosport