Lens to let Dindane play final

Lens president Gervais Martel has confirmed the club will allow Aruna Dindane to play for Portsmouth in the FA Cup final, for the sake of the on-loan striker.

Dindane has become a regular for Pompey since arriving on a season-long loan in August but should he play another match it would trigger a clause requiring them to pay £4million to Lens.

The cash-stricken club can ill afford that sum and Martel has suggested Lens could now waive that fee.

Lens confirmed on their website that they have decided to allow Dindane to play for Portsmouth in the final against Chelsea, while the Ivory Coast striker could also feature in their final three Barclays Premier League games against Bolton, Wolves and Everton.

Martel added on www.rclens.fr: "There remains some problems to sort out with the English club. But I gave priority above all to the human aspect.

"I couldn't prevent the player from preparing for the Cup final against Chelsea. And moreover, above and beyond this final, there is also the next World Cup for him with his country the Ivory Coast.

"It was impossible to deprive him of a possible World Cup call-up. I couldn't block the player because of difficult discussions between Portsmouth and Lens."

The 29-year-old earned the penalty which Kevin-Prince Boateng scored to book Pompey's place in next month's FA Cup final with victory over Tottenham at Wembley.

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