Luis boa Morte slots another one away

Fulham are set to offer on loan Portuguese striker Luis Boa Morte a permanent contract in a bid to keep him at Craven Cottage.

Boa Morte, currently suspended, has been outstanding this season and is on loan from Southampton. But reports just a month or so ago suggested he had already wrapped up a deal to move to Benfica in the summer.

At the time it appeared Fulham had decided against offering the Saints man a permanent deal and he began to look for alternatives. But since then the striker has been in such outstanding form that Jean Tigana has changed his mind. He has ordered Fulham to put together a contract to tempt Boa Morte to stay.

There should be no problems negotiating with Southampton because Boa Morte's year-long loan deal included a clause that Fulham would have first option on him at the end of the campaign.