Blues break bank for Benitez

• turbo_drift

  3 Jun 09, 21:08

  Birmingham City have completed the signing of striker Christian Benitez from Santos Laguna for a club record fee.

  The Ecuador international has signed a three-year deal at St Andrews ahead of next season's campaign in the Premier League.

  An undisclosed fee has been agreed with Santos Laguna, who Benitez joined from El Nacional in 2007, and the 23-year-old will undergo a medical in the Midlands next week.

  Birmingham claim to have beaten a number of sides to Benitez's signature, with the forward - who is expected to be granted a work permit - thought to have been in high demand after netting 31 goals in 58 games for Santos Laguna.

  Although the fee is undisclosed it is set to surpass the £6.25million paid for Emile Heskey in 2004 and is reported to be in the region of £9million.

• limpper

  3 Jun 09, 21:13

  nowadays clubs so fast sign players alr

• omgukilledkenny

  3 Jun 09, 22:02

  According to his agent..

  “Benitez is as good as Messi and Tevez,” he said at the end of May. “He is better than Antonio Valencia and the equivalent of Messi.”

  Hope they didn't get conned.

• Chris88110

  3 Jun 09, 22:08

  And here i was thinking Chelsea signed Rafa............

• Bus&Soccer l0v3r (VO3x 1)

  3 Jun 09, 22:09

  Lolx Benitez
  
  Son of AH Ben?

• Poolman

  4 Jun 09, 01:07

  not funny ....

• s0nic

  4 Jun 09, 09:08

  Originally posted by Chris88110:

  And here i was thinking Chelsea signed Rafa............

  
  yes, i had the same thoughts too.