The DR Congo captain seems to leaning towards playing in the tournament as his first-team opportunities have been limited in recent months, although Craig Bellamy’s injury and Michael Chopra’s participation in the World Youth Championships should change that.
"Whether I participate in the African Cup of Nations next year depends on a number of factors," LuaLua told The Journal.
"But I just want to play football whenever and wherever I can. I would rather it was with Newcastle, but who knows if that will happen?
"If I do go to Tunisia then I'd get a great deal of experience playing in one of the biggest competitions in the world and I would be guaranteed to play every DR Congo game.
"Influential people will be watching, the games will be screened all over the world and the public will get an opportunity to see what I'm capable of.
"What I need most of all is a run of games and it is possible that I won't get that run at Newcastle."
It is understandable that players want to represent their country and I sympathise with them when they are put in the position of having to make a choice between club and international football.
But, who actually buys their season ticket in order to watch LuaLua playing for DR Congo against Egypt, Nobby Solano for Peru against Ecuador or for that matter Kieron Dyer for England against Liechtenstein?