Preston North End striker Ricardo Fuller's move to Premiership side Portsmouth has collapsed.
Pompey have pulled the plug on the £1.75 million deal for the Jamaican international upon the advice of the club's medical staff.
An accord was struck between the two clubs a fortnight ago while Fuller had also agreed personal terms to move to Fratton Park.
But the transfer would only be rubber-stamped on the proviso Fuller passed a stringent medical as Portsmouth held concerns over a long-standing knee injury.
Fuller missed the bulk of the 2002/03 campaign with a serious knee problem and Pompey wanted to ensure the 24-year-old was fully recovered from the setback.
The South Coast side were putting the hit-man through a double medical on Friday and Saturday but they have now scrapped the deal.
Preston have confirmed the transfer is off and that Fuller has returned to Deepdale to link up with the Championship outfit for the rest of pre-season training.
"North End have confirmed late on Friday night that Ricardo Fuller's transfer to Portsmouth will not take place and Fuller will return to Preston to join the rest of the squad for pre-season training," read a statement on Preston's official website.
"Fuller saw a Portsmouth specialist as part of his medical to complete a move to Fratton Park and on their advice, after assessing the Jamaican's right knee, the South Coast club decided not to pursue the matter of signing North End's number nine any further.
"The international striker will now return to Deepdale to continue preparations for the new season with the Lilywhites first team squad, as they head into an intensive period of training and games back in Britain having safely returned from their week in Ibiza."
bad news for Watford as he will come up against us in the first fixture of the season 