Hull agree fee to buy Boa Morte

(GETTY IMAGES)

Hull City are in the process of taking Luis Boa Morte from West Ham, a transfer that may be finalised today. A fee of £2m is understood to have been agreed between the two clubs for the 31-year-old Portuguese left-sided midfielder, who joined West Ham from Fulham for around £5m two years ago. Prior to that Boa Morte was at Southampton and Arsenal.

With Matthew Etherington due to leave Upton Park for Stoke City and Calum Davenport for Bolton, for £4m and £3m respectively, West Ham are clearing out their fringe players for good fees while simultaneously reducing their wage bill. The hope is that this will enable the manager Gianfranco Zola to hold on to more coveted players such as Craig Bellamy, Scott Parker and Matthew Upson.

Hull, who have won only one of their last 11 league games, have Everton away on Saturday and then Arsenal at home. The manager, Phil Brown, is determined to counter the suggestion that Hull's bubble has burst and bringing in experienced Premier League players such as Boa Morte will aid that. Boa Morte has appeared 17 times already for West Ham this season and started last Saturday's FA Cup tie against Barnsley.

Should Etherington complete his move to Stoke, he may be joined there by Wigan's Henri Camara. Tony Pulis needs a striker to assist Ricardo Fuller, with only Middlesbrough and West Bromwich having scored less than Stoke this season. Camara, 31, has scored six times for Wigan this season.

"I am happy to play for Wigan at the moment," Camara said yesterday, "my agent has told me that there are clubs in the Premier League and in Europe interested in me. Stoke City is a good club, but I don't know about any interest from them. My contract will expire in June, so it is normal for there to be speculation. By the end of the month it will be sorted out."