Our daily blog of transfer rumours from the press as Hull City prepare for life in the Premier League.
Hull City appear to have moved another step closer to the signing of Yannick Sagbo after his club gave him the go-ahead to travel to England.
In a statement on its website, French club Evian said Sagbo would be allowed to hold talks with an English club.
The Tigers were not specifically named in the statement, nor was any fee mentioned, but it is understood City are closing on a £1.6m deal.
Evian said: "Evian Thonon Gaillard FC have authorised Yannick Sagbo to go to England to visit the facilities and meet the leaders of a club, in the case of an eventual transfer."
Sagbo's signing could be confirmed as early as today with City understood to have only minor obstacles to overcome.
And the French sporting daily L'Equipe is reporting that a deal is imminent with Sagbo travelling to Hull. They report the deal as cheaper though at around £1m. Sagbo had one year left on his existing Evian deal.
And here's a little video of Sagbo in goal scoring action for Evian.
Meanhile, The Sun picks up on those rumours about Nottingham Forest's Adlene Guedioura - suggesting Hull City are close to a triple signing along with Wilson Palacios and Sagbo.
But we think that's a little wide of the mark. Bruce's top midfield target is undoubtedly Stoke schemer Palacios, with Guedioura - famed for his spectacular long-range goals - a possible back-up option should Mark Hughes decide to give his Honduran international a chance at the Britannia.
Away from transfer talk, and Jose Mourinho has revealed he could leave Fernando Torres and Juan Mata out of Chelsea's starting line-up against the Tigers on August 18 because he fears they will be too tired after an international friendly for Spain in Ecuador. Poor old Chelsea. Somehow we get the feeling the Blues won't lack for replacements - whether or not they can prise Wayne Rooney out of Old Trafford.
And instead of Crazy Twitter Talk how about a Blast From The Past? Former Hull City, and to a lesser extent Man City, player Geovanni has just signed for Brazil's second division outfit Bragantino. The club is based in the city of Bragança Paulista, which is well known for its sausages.July 22
Sean Taylor of the Press Association "understands" Hull City are interested in Nottingham Forest playmaker Adlene Guedioura.
The French-born Algerian international joined Forest from Wolves last summer, for a fee believed to be in the region of £1m, following a successful loan spell.
His trademark is the long-range shot that won him goal of the season awards for both Wolves and Forest in the same season.
Guedioura, 27, is believed to have attracted the attention of several Premier League clubs, but Forest are likely to put up a fight to keep one of their most prized assets at the City Ground.
TalkSport has more on those Jimmy Briand rumours today.
The Lyon striker is said to have "spurned" the opportunity to sign for Hull City because he wants to fight for his place at the Stade de Gerland.
However, the big news for Hull City fans is the likely signing of Ivory Coast international Yannick Sagbo.
Steve Bruce admitted to us on Saturday that the Tigers were hoping to do a deal with French side Evian for Sagbo, who has scored 22 goals in 90 appearances and is likely to cost £1.6m.
Sagbo, a product of the AS Monaco youth system, is a pacy striker who likes to make runs in behind the defence.
The move may put paid to any interest City have in Stoke strikers Peter Crouch and Kenwyne Jones.
With the Potters set to sign Benfica forward Nelson Oliveira, they are likely to offload one or both of Crouch and Jones.
But with Crouch a target for QPR, and Jones rated at £3.5m, any City move looks like a long-shot at the moment.
One Stoke player Bruce is still keen on is midfielder Wilson Palacios. A loan deal has been discussed with the Potters in the past week, but it is not yet clear whether Mark Hughes is ready to let the Honduran leave.
Meanwhile, Bruce is set to make a decision on the future of South African trialist Daylon Claasen - who made a lively substitute appearance in the friendly against Sheffield Wednesday - in the next 24 hours.Carlton Cole continues to be linked with the Tigers, but he looks likely to go to Crystal Palace.
And finally, for now, is a move still on for QPR's Adel Taarabt. Sky Bet suggests City are 3-1 favourites to land to out-of-favour midfielder, with Olympique Marseille also in the running.
However, Harry Redknapp has already warned potential suitors that Taarabt will not be given away for nothing.July 21
So, Hull City's familiar failings in front of goal were evident in a 0-0 draw with Sheffield Wednesday in Portugal last night, and that perhaps will only intensify the rumour mill today in terms of strikers being linked with a move to East Yorkshire.
Who will be the man to join new boy Danny Graham though as Steve Bruce looks to add another new face up front?
The name being touted around most commonly in media circles over the weekend continues to be that of Stoke's Kenwyne Jones - a man Bruce had at Sunderland - to add some extra force to his frontline.
Talk is of a £3.5m bid for Jones being in the pipeline, and having offered £4.5m in the deal for Charlie Austin that collapsed, that money is still on the table for Bruce to use.Peter Crouch is the other name rising to the top of the list, another who Bruce's former Manchester United colleague Mark Hughes is willing to let go.
Whilst these two big names make the headlines, the Mail understands it is the lesser known Yannick Sagbo of Evian who is most likely to be the next addition.
The Tigers are hoping a £1.6m bid for the player, who was a target for West Ham perviously, will be enough to seal the deal.
Finally, in the mad world of Twitter, the suggestion is that Lyon striker Jimmy Briand has rejected an offer from the Tigers to play in the Premier League.July 20
Nothing like another striker to kick-off Saturday's transfer rumours. Zambia striker Jacob Mulenga, currently playing for Dutch outfit FC Utrecht, is today being linked with the Tigers.
And if Mulenga is interesting Steve Bruce as reported in the Zambian Daily Mail - yup there's one in Zambia too but probably not with Kim Kardashian in it - the striker did himself a favour on Thursday night by scoring with a header just two minutes into Utrecht's Europa League qualifier against Differdange from Luxembourg.
He almost hit a second a few minutes later but had a shot saved.
The Mail says Mulenga has been given permission to speak to no less than five English clubs, City leading the list which includes Championship teams QPR, Wigan, Nottingham Forest and Blackpool.
Meanwhile, the Daily Star is reporting Steve Bruce wants his old Manchester United pal Mark Hughes to do him a favour by letting him have either Kenwyne Jones or Peter Crouch to partner new City loan signing Danny Graham up front.
The Star says Bruce hopes to persuade new Stoke City boss Sparky to accept a £3.5m offer for Jones, 28, who is also wanted by West Brom, or 32-year-old Crouch.July 19
Here's a new name in the frame for Hull City. Russian striker Pavel Pogrebnyak is said to be keen to stay in the Premier League after his club Reading were relegated. Pogrebnyak was deemed a flop after moving from Fulham to the Royals and scoring just five goals last season.
But the striker showed some class earlier last year in a six-month stay with Fulham, scoring six in 12 before leaving when talks on a new contract collapsed.
According the the Mirror Hull City are interested along with Fulham and Cardiff. The stumbling block for any City interest will be wages: the Russian, who has 33 caps, is said to be on more than £50,000 a week - one of the reasons Reading are so keen to off-load him.
The Express says West Brom have turned down a bid for Peter Odemwingie, a player repeatedly linked to City, from Al Nasr. The Dubai club offered £850,000 but West Brom are said to be holding out for £2m. It's almost certain the Nigerian, currently training with the reserves, will leave Birmingham this summer.
Speaking of exits, Hull City winger Cameron Stewart is being targeted by three Championship clubs, according to reports. Tigers manager Steve Bruce has previously made it clear that the 22-year-old is free to leave the KC. According to Sky Sports and the Daily Mail, Blackpool, Charlton Athletic and Ipswich Town have all approached City regarding a potential deal.
Meanwhile the Sunderland Echo says the loan of Danny Graham to Hull City is a done deal with the striker having signed subject to a medical. An announcement is said to be imminent. Keep an eye on this website for the news as soon as it the deal is confirmed.(4.30pm update: Graham transfer from Sunderland to Hull City confirmed.)
Yesterday's Crazy Twitter Talk has taken another twist. Stoke striker Kenwyne Jones, very loosely and probably inaccurately linked with City, is closer to an exit from the Potters. The Mirror says Stoke's new boss Mark Hughes wants to spend £8m on Hannover striker Mame Biram Diouf, leaving the future of Jones and Peter Crouch uncertain.
So today's Crazy Twitter Talk ... well how about Peter Crouch? SkyBet have made the big man Hull City's third favourite player to be signed on the basis of, er, very little as far as we can see.
