Lualua Seals Portsmouth Switch - Finally!

By Martyn Osmond
July 11 2004

Lomana Tresor LuaLua will join Portsmouth this week, subject to passing a medical on Monday. The deal signals the end of an ongoing row between Pompey and the Toon over the transfer fee for the player.

The Democratic Republic of Congo captain will cost the South Coast club just under £2 million, and will attempt to rekindle his successful partnership of the second half of last season with fellow African striker Yakubu.

The Zaire-born striker showed promise in his early appearances for United, but was marred by inconsistency and the inability to displace Alan Shearer and Craig Bellamy as one of the top two strikers. All in all Lua made 77 appearances for United, 59 of them as a substitute, and scored just 9 goals. When he was overtaken in the pecking order by Shola Ameobi, it became clear that his time to leave had come, and he departed on loan to Portsmouth.

The man who cost United around £2.25 million in September 2000 from Colchester leaves under slightly acrimonious circumstances, having refused to return from his loan spell to help Newcastle in the UEFA cup semi-final against Marseille when they were short on bodies, despite Pompey having already secured their Premiership status, and before that having scored against the Toon in the last minute for Portsmouth in the February fixture at Fratton Park, and then celebrated in front of the away fans, showing a complete lack of respect for the people who paid his wages and supported him for the best part of 4 years.