DAVID Stockdale returns to former club Ipswich Town tomorrow as an integral figure in Hull City's final push for promotion out of the Championship.
And if the 27-year-old goalkeeper can help carry the Tigers over the finishing line during the final weeks of his loan spell, manager Steve Bruce is ready to reward Stockdale with the offer of a permanent transfer to the KC Stadium.
Signed on loan from Premier League side Fulham for a second time in January, Stockdale has offered a compelling case to solve City's age-old goalkeeping problems.
Nineteen appearances for the Tigers have seen just 19 goals leaked and last weekend's 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough brought Stockdale's eighth clean-sheet.
A ninth tomorrow at Ipswich, a club where he made 18 appearances on loan last season, would guarantee City consolidate second spot in the Championship for another weekend and inch them closer to the top flight.
Only at the end of the season will Stockdale's future at Fulham become clear, but Bruce is keen to offer him an escape from Craven Cottage if City can clinch their own place in the Premier League.
"I don't think it's set in stone but it's something that's been discussed," Bruce told the Mail.
"There's certainly the possibility of a deal to be done if we were to get to the Premier League.
"That's where Stockdale wants to play and that's where we all want to play.
"He's played a big role from the minute he's walked in through the door here.
"And he's still got a big part. He handles the situation well and that's where his experience comes in.
"It's important to have that position as a position of strength and that's what he gives us.
"You can count on one hand the number of mistakes he's made so he's been very influential."
Stockdale tops Bruce's wish-list for next season and was one prominent name raised as the City boss met with managing director Nick Thompson this week.
The planning for 2013-14 is well underway at the KC Stadium but much will hinge on the club's success during the final weeks of the Championship promotion race.
A return to the top flight would bring record financial windfalls for the Tigers, but a failure to clinch promotion would inevitably mean targets are lowered.
"It's very difficult and we've got a lot of things up in the air," explained Bruce. "There's a plan A, a plan B, as well as quite a few others. We'd normally have pre-season set in stone by now but we're not even sure about the dates we're planning for.
"We've just got to be patient and put things in place the best we can.
"We're in a really fantastic position to have come this far and hopefully we can stick with the best possible plans."
As well as potential transfer targets being identified for the summer market, the long-term futures of several current players will be dependent on where City play their football next season.
Paul McShane, Jay Simpson and Liam Rosenior are the three most prominent figures due to see contracts expire in June, but all negotiations have been put on ice until the Tigers' fate becomes clear. The same stance extends to James Chester, who is set to enter the final year of his contract this summer.
"The players who are out of contract understand that it would be wise for them to wait and see what division we're in," explained Bruce.
"We've got to shelve all contract talks now and shelve everything else to allow us to concentrate on the next three weeks.
"We've not spoke about budgets yet. All clubs, if they're going to be in the Championship, will have to start working to the Financial Fair Play rules.
"All clubs need to be looking at it. It seems to be the right way forward. We've all got to put our house in order sooner or later so there'll be a cold wind of change blowing through the Championship before long.
"We want to be in the Premier League and that's where our only focus is now."
