Former Portsmouth favourite explains why he ignored transfer interest from Swansea and Birmingham in favour of move abroad
Former League One title-winner and Fratton favourite Abu Kamara was officially unveiled as a Getafe player this week
Abu Kamara has revealed his reasons for turning his back on the Championship in favour of a transfer window deadline day move to Getafe.
The former Pompey loanee and favourite has also backed himself to step up to the demands he’ll face at the Madrid-based side, who currently sit sixth in the Spanish top flight following two wins from their opening three games of the season.
Abu Kamara on his switch to La Liga side Getafe
Kamara, who was a key figure in the Blues’ 2023-24 League One title-winning team, has joined Getafe on a season-long loan, with the Estadio Coliseum outfit having an option to buy the forward at the end of the campaign.
The 22-year-old made the switch after just one season at Hull City, where he made 36 league appearances and scored five goals following his reported £4.5m switch on a four year deal from Norwich last summer.
Pompey fans would have loved the player back at Fratton Park given his availability during the transfer window that has now closed. Meanwhile, Glasgow Rangers, Birmingham City and Swansea were also known admirers in the former England under-20 international, with the latter attempting to hijack Getafe’s move for Kamara as the Spanish club awaited clearance on the move from league bosses.
A transfer to La Liga, however, was always the winger’s intention after Getafe made their interest official.
Sharing his thoughts on the move and the obvious step-up in quality he’ll encounter, Kamara told the assembled media at his unveiling this week: ‘La Liga is really appealing for me. This is a big opportunity for me and I thank the club for that.
‘I chose Getafe because of the project that was presented to me by the sporting director and technical director. This is a challenge to step up to La Liga but I believe in myself.
‘I expect to be part of a team that can produce exciting, counter-attacking football and give our all against whoever we come up against. My game is based on trying to be direct, trying to be positive and make things happen.
‘Hopefully I can contribute with goals and assists for the team. Whatever is presented in front of me I will give it 100 percent and try to go at my defender and make things happen, regardless of what league or who I am playing against.’
Barcelona and Real Madrid games await former Pompey favourite Abu Kamara
Kamara, who bagged eight goals and registered 10 League One assists for Pompey during his year-long stay at Fratton Park, could make his debut for Getafe on Saturday when they play host to Real Oviedo.
He then faces the unbelievable prospect of lining up away against Barcelona, with José Bordalás’s side travelling to Barca on Sunday, September 21.
A home game against Real Madrid follows immediately after the October international break.
The forward need to get up to speed quickly, though, if he is to feature in the above games. Indeed, he’s got just 119 minutes of football in this legs this season so fat, having not featured for Hull in their two games leading up to the international break.
His last game for the Tigers came as a second-half substitute in their Championship win against Oxford United on August 17.