"Far in excess" - Portsmouth FC figure provides clarity on Abu Kamara decision amid Hull City switch | OneFootball

Abu Kamara joined Hull City on Deadline Day - despite Portsmouth's best efforts of striking a permanent deal

Portsmouth FC sporting director Rich Hughes has provided an update as the newly-promoted club weren't able to pursue a permanent deal for former loanee Abu Kamara this summer.

Kamara was a key player at Fratton Park last season on loan from Norwich City, and naturally after John Mousinho's side ended their 12-year exile from the Championship, the south coast outfit did everything within their own power to strike a deal for the highly-rated winger.

Pompey's interest was clear, but when it came to joining the race for his signature, the Blues didn't even reach that stage of negotiations with Norwich, who made their stance clear when it came to the valuation of the 21-year-old - who was also linked with a potential move to bitter rivals Southampton - before eventually joining Hull City in a long-term switch.

Regardless of the disappointment, Pompey fans can now gain a sense of understanding as to why Kamara wasn't pursued throughout the window, with Hughes revealing all in a fresh update.

This fresh update comes through local publication, The News, who conducted an interview with the key Pompey figure just days after the closure of the summer window.

It was claimed in mid-July by Football Insider that Portsmouth were ready to lodge a bid to acquire their star performer last season on a permanent basis following promotion, despite how reluctant new Canaries boss Johannes Hoff Thorup was to see the winger leave after a fine League One campaign.

However, Hughes has since revealed that after an enquiry was made by Portsmouth, the valuation which his former employers held on Kamara didn't make financial sense for the Fratton Park outfit to press forward in negotiations.

"We love Abu, we think he’s a terrific talent, he’s a great young man and we wish him the absolute best. He developed incredibly well over the year, but we move forward with the group we’ve got," Hughes said.

"If there was a scenario where it was sustainable and financially sensible to do so, we would have explored it, but we didn’t put in a bid.

‘‘There are high reported figures which I'm sure everyone can understand as the reasons why we weren’t able to get involved in the fight for Abu.

"We know where we are and one of our strengths is not wasting our time on things we’re not going to be able to effect, I think that’s what we do really well.

"We spoke to Norwich and they made their position clear on it. We have a lot of respect for other football clubs, we respect their players as much as we ask other clubs to respect ours.

"However, the point where they named a valuation that was far in excess of anything we would be able to achieve was when we moved on and pursued other targets.

"Regardless, we wish Abu all the best, he’s a terrific young man."

Abu Kamara's eventual move to Hull City shouldn't frustrate Portsmouth much

As previously mentioned, Kamara was then the subject of strong interest from Hull City, and after expressing a keenness to move to the MKM Stadium, a deal between Tim Walter's new side and Norwich was agreed, with reports stating that a deal for the two-cap England U20 international has the potential to rise as high as £4.5m.

Kamara signed a four-year deal in East Yorkshire with the option of a further year, and joined Hull as the final of 16 signings pursued by Walter and Acun Ilicali in the parameters of the summer transfer window.

As much as it will feel as a blow that Pompey don't exactly have the financial flexibility to compete with sides who have well-documented ambitions of reaching the Premier League in the not-too-distant future, Mousinho's side and supporters cannot be too disheartened as they still strengthened out wide with the additions of Josh Murphy and Matt Ritchie.

Furthermore, the newcomers in the division may not have a win on the board as of yet, but they have more than held their own against Leeds United, Luton Town and Middlesbrough, before suffering a 3-1 defeat to Sunderland on Saturday afternoon, which on paper, was one of the trickiest possible starts a newly-promoted side could have been handed, and they have emerged with real credit.

Although unsuccessful in a permanent pursuit, Portsmouth will do battle against Kamara's new chargers twice this season, with the first of those clashes coming on 2nd November at the MKM Stadium.