Israeli international defender Tal Ben Haim has completed a move from Manchester City to Portsmouth on transfer deadline day.

Ben Haim, 27, has signed a four-year deal with the Premier League strugglers and could make his debut on September 12 against Bolton, his first English club. It was the player’s three successful years at Bolton that prompted Chelsea to bring him to Stamford Bridge in 2007. But he failed to hold down a regular place with the Blues and joined City a year later.

However, it was a similar story at Eastlands, where big money purchases following the takeover by Sheikh Mansour made Ben Haim a forgotten man and he was farmed out on loan to Sunderland.

At Portsmouth, he faces “a big challenge because after four games we have no points. I want to help Pompey get some good results and take them to the position they belong”.