The former Bolton Wanderers defender spent much of yesterday in Manchester in talks at Eastlands and will undergo a medical before his switch from Chelsea is ratified.
And meanwhile, the Blues have been linked with a £6m move for Liverpool winger Yossi Benayoun.
As revealed in MEN Sport on Monday morning, Ben-Haim's expected arrival on a four-year deal will add competition to the heart of the defence and raise the bar for the existing defenders.
The 26-year-old Israeli international can operate as a right-back but is most at home in the heart of the defence.
If all goes well in his move back to the North-West then Blues fans could see him in action as soon as Saturday's friendly at Stockport County or more likely at Celtic next Wednesday.
Boss Mark Hughes publicly admitted for the first time last night that he had made an enquiry for Ben-Haim, but he would not be drawn further on the timing of the deal's conclusion.
"Ben-Haim is one player that we have enquired about," he revealed, guarding against any late hitch.
"Last year the team was weakened when the likes of Micah Richards and Richard Dunne went out of it.
"We are trying to address that.
Deals
"Discussions are taking place and we are hopeful that a number of deals will be concluded whether it is today, tomorrow or in a week's time.
"We have to have the means to do the job over a long season which means we need good players with good Premier League experience to enable us to compete."
Hughes expects more of a trickle of incoming transfers than a raging torrent, but insists that Ben Haim will not be the last before the window shuts at the end of August.
"We are looking at what is realistic in terms of deals," he declared.
"We want to strengthen in areas that we feel we have to but I stress we do have players that will be given an opportunity to claim a shirt of their own.
"It is a case of me looking at what we have got and what options I have.
"We are talking to players and have not quite concluded a couple of deals but they may well be concluded in the next few days.
"This time of the year there is a lot of business done and it is not always as quick as people would like.
"They have to be patient, it is always better to wait for the right players to come rather than jump into the market with two feet and pick the wrong players.
"I don't think the balance of the squad is quite right - it is going to be a long hard season and hopefully with games in the latter stages of a number of competitions so we need a strong squad and one that has depth.
"We need to strengthen in some key positions."
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Come on Ball now has 2 percent of votes. Who is voting??????
Benayoun, Ben-Haim, Niemi are all good experienced players. We still need a quality midfield player and just hope we can do a deal for Alonso. I read Inter are planning a £10m bid but if we could offer £12m then that may allow Liverpool to go after Barry.
RIGHT WING! LEFT BACK AND MIDFIELD ENFORCER.
I'D TRY AND GET ANELKA ON LOAN TIL JANUARY AS WELL!
Please God, please! Benayoun.
To be honest i wasnt exactly "over the blue moon" when MH was appointed.the fact he is ex-red doesnt come into it,i base my negativity on his managerial achievements and i just thought maybe city is too big a job for him.However,he seems to be very much his own man,has made changes at Carrington and brought in a complete new backroom staff.i like the way he conducts himself in transfers,keeps his cards close to his chest and isn't rushing into any buys.i look forward to the start of the premiership with renewed optimism and hope MH is given time to deliver.
Well if as this thread states we have to Wheel and Deal,here who i think we should go for.
Ben Haim nearly a done deal,
Benayoun played very well for West Ham and has never really had a fair crack at Liverpool so it's a yes for me.
But the steal would be Jimmy Bullard from Fulham.
If we can't afford Santa then i would go for Diouf.
Yossi YES. Now this would be a step (giant leap) in the right direction.
Not over keen on Benayoun, don`t see that he`d give us that much more than what we already have tbh.
No qualms about signing Benayoun a very skillful player who can operate wide or in the hole. He has suffered under Beinitez, I remember him scoring a hat trick then being on the bench the next game. If he is signed I would expect it would affect Steven Ireland's place in the team. ( ring -ring hello Roy)
Yep, I'd be very happy with Benayoun, not sure I'd call him an out and out right winger that we need I feel, but would certainly give Stephen Ireland competition for places which can only be good. Reminds me of Eyal in his touch and vision, and I can give no higher compliment than that.
The wheel is starting to turn, anyday now the headline we are all waiting for will appear "Vassel off to....." C`mon Hughsey, make my {and many others} day.
MEN do your research, Ben Haim is a centre half who can play at LEFT back as he is LEFT footed!
Benayoun would be the wrong sort of signing IMO, its the right position, just the wrong person for the job.
Bluereed my voice only
30/07/2008 at 10:54
Sunderland have already signed Diouf (not that i'd want him at city anyway)
Don't want Benayoun, don't get me wrong he is a very good player, I am fed up of getting linked to players who have knocked us back in the past, he had his chance, didn't fancy us then, what's the difference now. Stupid money that's what.
Let's sign fresh and hungry for the right reason players, more than anyone I am desperate for an inkling of success, but let's stop being every ex Liverpool players pension top up ala Fowler, Mcmimimum, Clough to name but a few. I want players who are dieing to wear the shirt, he had his chance, move on.
great to see things starting to happen. Very happy with TBH and would be delighted with Benayoun - quality player, was gutted when he went to Liverpool and we missed out.
Would like to see RSC in a swap deal for Bianchi + Caciedo + £5m: think Ince just needs bodies in there now and would be happy to keep the numbers up.
Have a feeling someone is going to be sacrificed, maybe Elano or Ireland, and maybe Nedum to Villa.
I'd be happy to see the back of Fernandes and Benjani soon as well, neither of them impress me at all.
Poor Danny Mills, sat in the corner gathering dust.
It's all good stuff.
Goofy's Dietician
30/07/2008 at 10:50
Why would inter go for Alonso if they have just spent £12.7m on Muntari and are looking at bringing in Lampard?
we love you city, we do....
we love you city, we do....
we love you city, we do....
oh city we love you
Yes, Yos would be good. I note the bit about proven prem experience, does that mean we won't be going for many foreign imports? Ages ago MH was supposed to be after Diarra at Pompey, he would be a good purchase, Andy Johnsons Fulham move seems to be going very slow, could City have an interest? very glad to see that MH is keeping cards close to his chest. Just have to be patient and see who he lands
As jersey has said if it is true about Benayoun then it looks like Elano will be the one making way for him. Surprised? Not really we can’t wait forever for Elano to rediscover his form for ever. depending on how you look at it Elano has been the problem not the solution, when selecting the team with his inclusion we can only play one way, we became to predictable last season, so predictable that opposing teams only needed to rough him up a bit to nullify our threat, I hate the way Elano allows himself to be kicked in to submission because he is undoubtedly a great talent, will he get much more time under MH I am not so sure as being linked with Benayoun suggests, I predict him becoming a bit part player over the next season and sold at the end. Although I hope I am totally wrong and he has a stunning season with him pivotal to everything we do.
Great to have another good defender in the squad to put pressure on the centrebacks. And in case of any injuries or suspensions (they are bound to happen) I fully understand Hughes moves for him.
Benayoun would suit me as well. Creative and a good dribbler who is not afraid to try and go past his man. Was great at WHU and not given much chance at Liverpool. Maybe Hughes wants Elano and Ireland to compete over de role behind the striker(s), leaving Benayoun and Etuhu to battle it out on the right side. And Benayoun could even play in a rol behind the strikers.
Niemi as the experienced back-up goallie behind either Hart or Schmeichel will do for me, although I wasn't very impressed with him when Fulham played City.
Now to adress the leftside. We not only need a leftback (unless Hughes rates Garrido), we also need competition for Petrov. We all know what a great player he is, but his performances needs more consistancy.
It seems we kept hold of all our youngsters and can continuing the building proces. It's not all about buying new players, unless they are much better than what we have.
Benayoun or Ireland? Hmmmmmm... Let me think a minute..........
Bluereed,
Diouf has signed for Sunderland.
I wouldn't have liked him at City.
The fun certainly seems to be mounting transfer-wise.
Good news if it's kosher, ho, ho.
Benayoun is skillful, tenacious, got a good footballing brain, can play right wing or central midfield, scores goals (1 in 3.4 ain't bad for a midfielder) and he's only just 28 which would give us a few years.
Ben Haim, Benayoun, Santa Cruz... tasty.
Add a left back and a midfield enforcer and this has the makings of a very strong squad.
Should shut the chronic moaners up for at least a fortnight!
Bluereed my voice only,
Diouf is a Sunderland player as of a few days ago!!!
Benayoun is a decent playmaker. I just hope he isn't the right wing answer because for me, he is a central midfielder and nothing else.
He does have the ability to come in from the wings but he isn't a winger.
On the right I want someone who thinks like Petrov. They are wingers and their main thought should always be to get down the lines and whip the ball in. I dont like playing people like Benaoyoun and Elano wide. Theyre not wingers!!!!
And I want a striker who thinks of nothing more than getting in the right attacking areas in the box and hitting the back of the net. Santa is the man!!!!
Against Hamburg, the only bright sparks were the young lads coming on. Etuhu is a proper winger and wants to get down the flanks and cross, and Ched looked like a proper forward in real striking positions. Unlike Darius who we have seen playing far too often
Benayoun is class. Get him! Not too sure about Ben Haim though. He looks more like a chef than a footballer to me, a clone of Ivan Campo perhaps.