Kaz checks out

To the surprise of very few, Kazenga LuaLua has followed in the footsteps of his older brother by turning a loan into a permanent deal and leaving St James' Park for the south coast. While Lomano Tresor, now at Blackpool, departed for Portsmouth, Kaz has signed up with Brighton, with whom he's had three separate loan spells, for an undisclosed fee.

He undoubtedly has some ability, as well as the pace necessary to trouble a few Premier League opponents, but ultimately he becomes just another graduate of our youth development programme who's failed to make the grade. Time will tell if we've made a mistake - probably when we draw the Seagulls in the FA Cup in January...

Steve Harper, by contrast, won't be staying on at the Amex, his own one-month loan deal having expired and no agreement reached on an extension. Nevertheless, he enthused about the experience, describing it as "very, very beneficial".