Chelsea are poised to seal the deal for Newcastle's Demba Ba after they matched the forward's buyout clause, with Magpies manager Alan Pardew confirming the deal was imminent.
Speculation has been rife over the situation surrounding Ba, who was left out of Newcastle's squad against Everton on Wednesday, with his representatives talking to Chelsea this weekend over a proposed move.
Initially, it was believed the move broke down over the player's wage demands, but now it seems like Ba is going to be wearing the Blue of Chelsea after all.
Pardew, who did not hide his displeasure at the turmoil surrounding Ba and his release clause, said he was happy to finally conclude a deal, with both the club and the player now able to move on.
"It's done," Pardew told Sky Sports. "He will go to Chelsea with our blessing.
"He has done fantastic for us and it's not a bad thing, all the uncertainty is now done and we can move on.
"This club is bigger than any player for sure."
Chelsea will pay Newcastle £7 million ($11 million) for the 27-year-old, with the striker expected to reduce the burden on Fernando Torres, who has been Chelsea's most used outfield player this season.
Chelsea interim manager Benitez also confirmed talks were ongoing with Ba's representatives. "I don't have any official information about the situation," Benitez said.
"The club is working (to sign a striker) and we know that.
The Blues have been on the lookout for a striker since the summer, and the club's hierarchy will be happy to finally agree on a deal, with Ba expected to at least double his wages to around £80,000 a week ($130,000).
Chelsea are still expected to go for Atletico Madrid forward Radamel Falcao in the summer, but Ba will provide much-needed relief for the team's thin forward line until the end of the season at the very least, with Daniel Sturridge completing his move to Liverpool.
Meanwhile, the Blues have been dealt a blow over the injury to Petr Cech, with the goalkeeper now expected to miss around three weeks. Cech picked up the injury in Sunday's win over Everton, and had to be replaced at halftime by Ross Turnbull.
"Two or three weeks," Benitez said in a club tweet. "We are quite optimistic."
