Pompey seeking attacking boost

Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric is confident of signing a striker before Tuesday's transfer deadline.

Pompey are close to completing the loan signing of Modena striker Diomansy Kamara, who would cost around £500,000, although Atletico Madrid are also reported to be interested in the 23-year-old.

A Pompey spokesman said: "Kamara has arrived for talks and hopefully there is agreement over the fee his club want us to pay for the loan. It is looking promising."

Boss Harry Redknapp is also having a look at Porto marksman Edgar Jankauskas.

The Lithuania international was used mainly as a substitute in Porto's Champions League-winning campaign last season, playing in 10 matches - including both clashes with Manchester United.

Mandaric told the club's official website, pompeyfc.co.uk: "We are especially looking at two players and obviously we seem to be getting closer with the lad from Modena. Harry also likes the Porto striker Edgar Jankauskas so if we miss out on one we have a chance with the other.

"We are concentrating on these two players aggressively but there might also be other irons in the fire - we shall just have to wait and see."

Attacking options limited

Lomana LuaLua, a £1.75m signing from Newcastle, could be out for weeks with a mystery groin injury leaving Nigeria's Aiyegbeni Yakubu and Ricardo Fuller, the big Jamaican pay-as-you-play recruit from Preston as the club's only senior front-men.

LuaLua, meanwhile, has apologised to boss Redknapp for disguising the injury that has finally forced him out of action after two quiet opening games at the start of the season.

The Congo international, who is seeing a specialist, said:

"The pain is too much now. I can't turn, I can't shoot. My game is all about explosive running but I can't do it. I hoped I might be able to play through it but I haven't done myself any favours."

The injury means new boy Fuller should get an extended run in the side even if Kamara signs. He is ready to partner Yakubu - who has recently signed an extension of his own contract until 2007 - despite failing a medical on a knee condition pre-season.

That ruined a possible £2m move but Pompey are now believed to have paid Preston around £200,000 with staged payments up to £1.1million if Fuller's fitness stands up.

American knee surgery specialist Richard Steadman, who operated on former England stars Alan Shearer and Jamie Redknapp to extend their careers, has give Fuller clearance to play on despite his knee problem.

Amdy Faye, another Senegal star, and another member of Pompey's crocked-knee brigade, is back in light training despite initially being ruled out for three months after failing a medical which saw a proposed £3m move to Fulham collapse last month.