Cats new boy Benjani relishes challenge

Feb 4 2010 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

The transfer was completed five days late after the Premier League was satisfied the documentation had been completed in time.

Two years later, history repeated itself to a degree – although this time the striker was blameless.

Benjani was on Wearside 48 hours before the deadline for a medical, only to be left sweating by the Black Cats.

Again the paperwork for his £1.5m switch did not reach Premier League headquarters in time, but Sunderland proved "technical" difficulties with their fax and email systems were to blame.

To Sunderland’s relief the move was rubber-stamped on Tuesday, the day after this year’s deadline.

Benjani said: "I came for a medical on Saturday, then on Sunday nothing happened. The papers finally came through late on Monday."

With fellow strikers David Healy and Daryl Murphy joining Ipswich Town on loan until the end of the season on Monday, the late addition will be needed at the Stadium of Light.

Summer signing Fraizer Campbell is yet to score in the league for the Wearsiders and Steve Bruce desperately needs someone to put pressure on his first-choice pairing of Darren Bent and Kenwyne Jones.

Benjani added: "If you sign for a club they expect you to come and provide something they don’t have.

"They (Bent and Jones) are good players. Any player would love to play alongside good players."

With the Academy of Light pitches frozen, Benjani and his fellow deadline- day arrival Alan Hutton trained at the Stadium of Light for the first time yesterday.

Fans will have a chance to meet the pair – and fellow new boy Matthew Kilgallon – in signing sessions at the official club stores the week after next.

Hutton and Kilgallon will be at Debenhams in the Bridges on February 16 from 4-5pm, while Benjani will be at the Stadium of Light shop at the same time the next day.