Portsmouth were not in the race for former Norwich City youngster Abu Kamara, who sealed a Championship exit to Hull City after an eyecatching loan spell on the south-coast.

Kamara was a key figure in Pompey’s League One title win last season but headed to Humberside in a package that could rise above £4.5m, after handing in a written transfer request.

Portsmouth sporting director, Rich Hughes, admitted any hopes of a reunion were dashed by the Canaries’ valuation.

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

"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.”

City head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup made it clear after the close of the transfer window Kamara’s wish to leave meant it was about driving the hardest bargain for the club.

"Of course, even though a player thinks that another club is better for him, then we still need a transfer deal that we can accept," he said. "We got the deal that we wanted here towards the end.

"I'm still sad that he left, because I think he has potential to become a good player, and I think he would have been close and maybe also around the squad and the games that we played so far.

"But that's how it is. Not every strategy and every club is for everyone. It’s better suited that we have players who can find their happiness somewhere else."