Portsmouth Agree Fee for Defoe, While Spurs Keep Gilberto Hopes Alive

After days of hard bargaining, Portsmouth have agreed a £9m fee for Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe - now the striker has until midnight to decide on a move to Fratton Park.

Defoe has struggled at White Hart Lane this season, scoring just eight goals in 33 appearances, many of them as a substitute. He also fell out with Tottenham head coach Juande Ramos following a training-ground incident at the start of the month, but after patching up their relationship it was expected that Defoe would stay at the club.

But Spurs, having brought in Jonathan Woodgate and Alan Hutton, have decided to cash in on Defoe, who is out of contract at the end of next season. It is understood that despite Tottenham are still hoping to sign the Hertha Berlin left-back Gilberto, despite the German club claiming the £7.5m move had broken down following the results of a second medical earlier today.

Meanwhile, Portsmouth striker Benjani Mwaruwari is understood to have been handed a work permit and is currently undergoing a medical at Manchester City with a view to competing a deal. City manager's Sven-Goran Eriksson has been attempting to toughen up his striking options after releasing Rolando Bianchi on loan to Lazio and Georgios Samaras to Celtic. Benjani, Portsmouth's leading scorer this season, looks like being the one.