Daily transfer rumours from the press as Hull City prepare for life in the Premier League.
Celtic striker Gary Hooper is Steve Bruce's new "number one target", according the today's Daily Express.
Hooper scored 31 goals last season including two in the Scottish Cup Final and is yet to agree a contract beyond next season.
Norwich tabled a bid - believed to be in the region of £5.5m - for the 25-year-old in January, but City could now sign him for just £4m, according to the Express.
The former Scunthorpe United man is keen on a move to the Premier League after working his way up from non-league football.
Meanwhile, City are ready to pay £4m for yesterday's "number one target" Kasper Schmeichel, according to The Daily Mail.
"Leicester will not sell him cheaply", the Mail says.
Given that various reports have claimed Bruce is unwilling to pay £3m for Fulham's David Stockdale, is it likely he would fork out even more for Schmeichel?
But then the rumour mill is hardly renowned for its logic, is it?
Yesterday, we suggested it might make sense for Bruce to take a look at Shay Given, who is set to leave Aston Villa. Today, The Mirror insists the Irish international is City's "number one target" and will arrive at the KC for a knockdown price of £1m.
And if The Mirror is to be believed, Leicester want just £2m for Schmeichel, not £4m.
Another name doing the rounds is Allan McGregor, the former Rangers keeper.
Turkish sources claim City have had an offer for the 31-year-old Scotland international accepted by his current club Besiktas.
I've lost track of exactly who is supposed to be Bruce's "number one target", but one player we know is near the top of the list is Ahmed Elmohamady. As we report today, City are hopeful of concluding a permanent deal with the Egyptian international. With a £2m fee agreed with Sunderland, the outstanding issue is agreeing personal terms.
MD Nick Thompson adds today that no definitive decisions have been taken over permanent moves for Al-Ahly pair Gedo and Ahmed Fathi, who had mixed experiences on loan at the KC last season.May 29Kasper Schmeichel is Steve Bruce's "number one target" according to Sky Sports today.
The Tigers have been repeatedly linked with a move for the Leicester City goalkeeper - son of Bruce's mate Peter.
Now, Sky says City are preparing a bid for the Danish international.
Leicester do not want to lose Schmeichel but are expecting offers.
The experienced Shay Given might also interest Bruce after he lost his place at Aston Villa to former Tigers loan star Brad Guzan.Phil Neville will not be coming to the KC Stadium. The former Everton captain will instead return to Manchester United as a member of David Moyes' coaching staff, according to The Guardian.
Just days ago, bookies had Hull City favourites to sign veteran Neville - but at odds of 4/1 it was hardly a sure thing.
Meanwhile, Sunderland have confirmedMatt Kilgannon and Titus Bramble are leaving the club. Inevitably, Bruce has been linked with a slew of Black Cats, including Bramble and Phil Bardsley, who has a year left on his contract.
Bardsley has fallen out with boss Paulo Di Canio and The Sunderland Echo says a move to City might make sense. However, fans at the Stadium of Light would be sorry to lose a defender who was player of the season just two years ago and is renowned for his heart-on-sleeve passion and consistency. May 27
Reading's highly-rated striker Adam Le Fondre is a target for Hull City according to The Sun
A former Stockport and Rochdale player, Le Fondre managed 14 Premier League goals despite a poor season for Reading which saw them relegated.
City have made a last-ditch move to sign Bolton's Marcos Alonso ahead of an expected move to Fiorentina, according to reports.The Bolton News says a snag with a planned signing of the Bolton left wing back to the Italians has opened the door for Steve Bruce.
The Spanish left-back, 22, is a former Real Madrid player and impressed last season. The Daily Mailalso says City are keen on snatching the player before a move to Italy.
Meanwhile, the Daily Mail says a move for Wigan free agent Maynor Figueroa could be scuppered by his wages.
The same paper stokes rumours linking Bruce to Wigan's Arouna Kone and says the Tigers face
competition from Swansea for his signature. The Ivorian, 29 found the net 11 times in 34 Premier League appearances for the Latics.May 25The Sun claims West Brom and Blackburn are the clubs trying to hijack Ahmed Elmohamady's move from Sunderland to Hull City.
As reported yesterday, the Tigers are ready to pay £2m for loan hero Elmo but have yet to agree personal terms.Darren Bent was one of a slew of players linked with City last week, but today's Daily Express claims Fulham are
favourites to rescue him from his Aston Villa "nightmare". The Cottagers are preparing a £4m move and SkyBet gives long
odds of 20/1 on Bruce hijacking it.
More likely according to the bookies are moves for Phil Neville (4/1 favourites) and Peter Odemwingie (6/1
second favourites behind Fulham).
Meanwhile, if today's tabs are to be believed, Danny Simpson has split up with his X Factor girlfriend Tulisa
Contostavlos.
Could the 26-year-old full-back be ready for a fresh start in our fine city? The Northern Echo is among sources that have
linked him with a move from Newcastle United to the KC Stadium.
Finally for now, every City fan's least favourite golfer says Bruce needs a "world elite" striker to stay in the Premier
League.
But Jimmy Bullard tells GiveMeSport his old club has a chance because of Steve Bruce.
"The spine is key, and it's going to be a big summer for sure," he says. "I'm delighted they are there though because it's
a great football club."May 24
Hull City are ready to "step up their interest" in Polish goalkeeper Grzegorz Sandomierski, according to The Mirror
today.
The Genk stopper was on loan at Blackburn last season and could come into the Tigers' reckoning if Fulham decide not to
reduce their £3m asking price for David Stockdale.
Steve Bruce is also ready to give Jordan Rhodes a chance in the Premier League ... and will pay £10m for the
privilege!
If you believe that, you might also believe the same paper when it says Carlton Cole is snubbing City in favour of
a move to the MLS.
The Tigers were supposedly keen on the former West Ham frontman - but he prefers David Beckham's former club LA Galaxy.Ahmed Elmohamady is known in some quarters as the Egyptian Beckham and the Tigers have agreed a £2m transfer fee
with Sunderland to keep their player of the season at the KC. But as we report today, personal terms have yet to
be finalised, leaving Sunderland papers to speculate on whether Paulo Di Canio might fancy the wingman after all. Two clubs,
one in the Premier League and the other in the Championship, are also allegedly ready to gazump Hull. ![Get Adobe Flash player]()
Meanwhile, Elmo has told the UAE's Sport 360 that fellow Egyptian Gedo has what it takes to star in the
Premier League next season.
He says: "Gedo helped us a lot and his goals were crucial ... we needed someone like him to score goals for us.
"He has the right mentality and can play in any club in the Premier League. Of course it's tough to tell now what
he's going to do because he's recovering from surgery."
Staying with Sunderland, and Di Canio has launched his Black Cats clear-out by showing Titus Bramble the door.The
Guardian is among the papers pushing the inevitable link with City today.
Poor old Titus ... Tigers fans were quick to take to Twitter yesterday to urge Bruce NOT to move for the former Newcastle
defender and today's Sun claims he is more likely to move to
the MLS.
Talking of unpopular players, City flop Seyi Olofinjana is set to sign for Sheffield Wednesday, according to the Daily Star.
The Nigerian international made six loan appearances for Wednesday last season.
Finally for now, former City boss Phil Brown wants to team up again with Andy Dawson and Craig Fagan at
Southend, according to the Southend Echo.
• Hull City transfer rumours - May 17-24
