City close on Ben Haim

Chris Bailey

July 29, 2008

Tal Ben Haim

TAL Ben-Haim is at Eastlands putting the finishing touches to his move to City.

The 26-year-old Israeli international is all set to become the Blues' second signing of the summer once personal terms and a medical have been sorted.

It is understood a fee of around £5m has been agreed with Chelsea and the player has been offered in the region of £60,000 per week.

Ben-Haim, who shot to prominence in this country thanks to a successful stint at Bolton , has yet to agree to fit into City's wage structure but those close to him in London believe he is ready to sign a four-year deal that will put the heat on the current defenders at the cub.

It is inconceivable that manager Mark Hughes would pay so much for a player and not play him which puts the spotlight on Micah Richards and Richard Dunne, who has just signed a new contract.

Suspension

Captain Dunne will, of course, miss the opening two matches of the Premier League season through suspension leaving Ben-Haim to possibly make his debut at Villa.

Like England star Richards, the Israeli can also play at right-back which in turn would leave Vedran Corluka and Nedum Onuoha battling hard for a place in the team.

Capped 39 times by his country Ben-Haim played almost 150 times for Maccabi Tel Aviv before the then Bolton manager Sam Allardyce brought him to England and the Premier League in 2004.

He became one of Bolton's most durable and reliable performers, clocking up 88 starts in three years before he moved south.

His chances at Chelsea have been limited thanks to the form of John Terry and Carvalho and he made just 13 starts. He is set to become the second Israeli international to play for City following in the footsteps of Eyal Berkovic.

What do you think of the deal? Have your say.

| Submit Comments | Comments (291) |

Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All

David, sat at my desk..... (28/07/2008 at 08:54)

not worh trh £5m and the £60k a week.
keep it and go and snatch dawson from spuds.

Mancunian Way, Australia ex Failsworth (28/07/2008 at 08:57)

I think he has the quilty to play at the highest level,I just wonder where he is going to fit in the overall scheme of things,time will tell I suppose.(don't think he is worth 60000.00 a week though).

Colin Bell, cobh, ireland (28/07/2008 at 08:57)

An excellent defender. Will put pressure on for places.

Alec Herd. The King on the Wing. Levenshulme (under the blue moon). (28/07/2008 at 09:01)

This move makes no sense unless Hughes moves Richards out of the central defensive role, which he has already said he won't be doing. It's a puzzle, and at £60 a week he'll be on more than any of our other defenders...

A Manc and blue (28/07/2008 at 09:03)

Not my choice. Total random question who is the player on the new season cards??

petenico, manchester (28/07/2008 at 09:09)

I think this lad will be a decent player for us.

Hughes will make a few signings like this. They won't in any way excite you and some won't entirely convince you. But Hughes needs to bolster our team/squad with a few players who aren't full of flair and skill.

He will sign players like Ben Haim who are just decent defenders. No gimics. Just good old fashioned defending.

And we need these kinds of players. We cant buy a team full of skillful geniouses that will wow us. Its a team game and for that you need to build a solid team.

Hughes knows what he is doing in this field. At Blackburn he bought Nelson and Samba. Both who I am sure the Blackburn fans will have questioned but are now good solid defenders.

Should be a decent signing in my opinion.

Paul Calf, Handforth (28/07/2008 at 09:17)

gutted, hoped this would just be paper talk, looking more likely by the day

Sir Baconface Taggart de Trafford, Ballydehob (28/07/2008 at 09:20)

A new left back and that's the defensive squad sorted.
Then on to the midfield. A right sided player would be nice, plus an 'enforcer'
Upfront - I'd love Santa Cruz but I still believe Bodger (when fit) + Jo + Ched + Bianchi (if he will stay) + Studge will fit the bill.
We are nothing like as desperate as some of the chronic moaners on here imagine.
All the eejits who say "Sell Elano, Ireland, Fernandes etc" are simply out of their tree.
We could be playing 60 games this season (hopefully) and need a big, strong squad

jerseyblue, jersey (28/07/2008 at 09:22)

I find it all a bit odd at the moment. Hughes states that he wants a new keeper, but doesn't go for Freidel. He works hard to pay Dunne a big rise, then go for another centre back. He says Bianchi has a chance but plays sturridge, Etuhu and Evans before him at Hamburg - How will that even put him in the shop window? It says Cook has been back to US haviong spent his first few weeks chasing Ronaldhino, and now him and Hughes are set to discuss transfer targets - with a couple weeks to go before season starts?
Ball had a very poor game Sat - so why no Garrido for the second half?
Elano failed in every midfield position they tried to find him sat - Hughes will not allow him to be the luxury roving player Erikson did at times, so his days could be numbered.
Interesting times!!!

Jesper, Copenhagen (28/07/2008 at 09:24)

He's a good defender and Bolton have struggled since he left. Price and wages are a bit high but we shouldnt slag him off because he hasnt played at Chelsea. They have brought in many great players and never played them. That being said, we still need a new left back as Ball is fading fast and there is no replacement for him other than Garrido.

gav owen (28/07/2008 at 09:25)

Quite simply, we don't need him. We have plenty of cover at CB/RB. Money would have been better spent elsewhere. Frustrated.

Nasty, East Stand, Level 1, (28/07/2008 at 09:26)

Not sure about this guy never watched him much at Bolton but I am told by a mate he is strong guy who can hold his own maybe he's just what we need !!
Any comments guys ??

CTID and then some !

Moonhead (28/07/2008 at 09:27)

He's a left footed player so why cover at RB?? The fact he's a left footed centre back to me suggests why he's worth a punt. Gives a much better balance across the back four.

cityrno1, Littleborough (28/07/2008 at 09:28)

Will make an excellent addition to our squad. from r dunnes perfomance on sat we def need to push dunne. Im sorry but he got dragged out of position to much, seemed like he was playin left back half of the time, and yet again his mistake, the miss control of the ball was enough for them to score, and what did he do? smile!!! he mite have made sa couple of good blokes, but one mistake is all it costs, and he makes far to many to over shadow his good defending.

Nasty, East Stand, Level 1, (28/07/2008 at 09:30)

have a smile on me
A Man Utd fan dies on match day and goes to heaven in his Man Utd shirt. He knocks on the old pearly gates and out walks St. Peter in a City scarf.

'Hello mate' says St. Peter, 'I'm sorry, no Man Utd fans in heaven.'

What?' exclaims the man, astonished?

'You heard, no Man Utd fans.'

But, but, but, I've been a good man', replies the Man Utd supporter.

'Oh really', says St. Peter. 'What have you done, then?'

Well' said the guy, 'Three weeks before I died, I gave £100 to the starving children in Africa'.

'Oh' says St. Peter. 'anything else?'

Well, two weeks before I died I also gave £100 to the homeless.'

'Hmmm. Anything else?'

Yeah. A week before I died I gave £100 to the Albanian orphans.'

Okay', said St. Peter, 'You wait here a minute while I have a word with the governor.'

Ten minutes pass before St. Peter returns. He looks the bloke in the eye and says, 'I've had a word with God and he agrees with me. Here's your three hundred quid back, now get lost'.

CTID and then some !

Rob South Stand Blue, Crewe (28/07/2008 at 09:34)

Do not understand this signing. We will now have 5 players who can play right back (Richards, Corluka, Haim, Onouha and Logan) and only 2 who can play left back? Unless we are going to be playing with 3 centre backs? We need a left back/Wing back, a right winger, a centre forward and cover in midfield. CTID

42andnotseenowtreally, Heaton Misery (28/07/2008 at 09:35)

is he any good ?

worthy blue (28/07/2008 at 09:35)

lets all hope for a busy week on the transfer front!

fac51, WHITIW0RTH ST (28/07/2008 at 09:37)

£5m and £60k a week on the area that needs strenthening the least seems madness to me. We're crying out for a top quality left back not another right back.

Hydeblue, Stockport (28/07/2008 at 09:41)

And this is a Top Class signing is it???? what on earth is going on. If this is the sort of player we are going to be signing then I fear for us this season,top 6 will be out of our reach.

The Truth (28/07/2008 at 09:41)

Richards for midfield methinks.....right back at least anyway.

Daniel Gale (28/07/2008 at 09:43)

I cannot believe we are going to sign this guy, 60,000 a week, 5M. Chelse got him on a free...............

Shaun, At My Desk (28/07/2008 at 09:44)

60 grand a week for a journeyman who can't get a game at Chelsea? The world has gone mad. And before anyone starts yes I know he's better than some of the defenders we've got,and that he's being bought in to bolster a small squad, to put pressure on Dunne/Richards. It's just that I expected a little bit more.

BarrattOZ (28/07/2008 at 09:45)

Not sure but at least it will create competition. Jury is out on Corluka for me, I hope I am proved wrong. The Special One obviously saw potential in Ben Hiam as does Bluesy.

On another note why does MCFC.co.uk never publish photos of the games during Pre Season? All the other Premiership club web sites do. I think our website could offer more.

CTID

PDB (28/07/2008 at 09:47)

I think we really need a quality left back rather than another right sided defender. Ball was shocking on Saturday and for much of last season.

()

Report

Manchester City