Portsmouth have admitted that Jermain Defoe's reported £7.5million 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 yesterday and has become an instant hero with the home fans.
But 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 over why forms from City to register Benjani did not arrive in time to beat the January 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."
Defoe and Redknapp seemed blissfully unaware of all this after the former Tottenham and West ham striker 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.
"The owner has spent a lot of money here already. He's been fantastic for me and it wouldn't be fair on him if he has to spend more now (with nothing coming back)."
Redknapp thought his authority was under threat when current supremo Sacha Gaydamak appointed Avram Grant - now Chelsea's manager - as technical director at Fratton Park before the start of last season.
He revealed: "I didn't know him when he first came here. He was given to me - or put on me, in a way - and I wasn't happy about it. I must be honest I could have walked away again.
"But I didn't. I met him, liked him and we became good friends. He's a nice guy and I discovered he wasn't here to to take my job.
"I found him a great help and I felt he was always going to go to Chelsea in some capacity. That was the plan.
"He's really a good guy. He's quiet, not a personality like the previous manager (Jose Mourinho) but he's done a terrific job.
"Once they get John Terry, Frank Lampard, Michael Essien and Didier Drogba back the championship is still open for them. We'll be stronger, too, when our four African boys are back from the Nations Cup."
Nicolas Anelka expertly put away his first Chelsea league goal - but Defoe, who had started slowly, put away a simple knock-on by fellow new boy Milan Baros nine minutes later.
Pompey, who hit a post through Noe Pamarot's header from a corner, could easily have won it if Defoe had taken just one of three more opportunities near the end.
REF WATCH: Howard Webb rejected three Pompey penalty claims, an appeal for handball by Claude Makelele and an offside shout against Florent Malouda in the build-up to Chelsea's goal. He was not popular at Fratton Park.
FUSSY FACTOR: Webb is possibly England's top referee and although he might have missed a few decisions - crowd reaction was a big pressure - played his part in probably the best game at Portsmouth this season.
