Our daily blog of transfer rumours from the press as Hull City prepare for life in the Premier League.
New Hull City signing Yannick Sagbo says he is looking forward to bringing mobility, technical skills and goals to "what is already a good footballing team".
The Tigers finally confirmed a two-year deal for the 25-year-old striker late last night, after agreeing an undisclosed fee, thought to be in the region of £1.6m, with Evian. The French club had broken the news of Sagbo's departure during the afternoon.
And the Ivory Coast international, who agreed personal terms and passed a medical at City's training ground, says he is excited to get started after a dream move to the Premier League.
"I can't wait to get going, and I look forward to meeting my new team-mates this weekend," he told City's official website.
"I want to show the coaches and the fans what I'm all about, but not just with my physical presence. I also hope that my mobility and technical skills can add to what is already a good footballing team."
Sagbo, who contributed six goals and four assists in his 23 league starts and 12 substitute appearances last season, praised Steve Bruce's role in bringing him to the KC.
"I was delighted when the call came through. I had a very good feeling from the manager, that he really wanted me to come to Hull. That feeling was mutual.
"I'm looking forward to the challenge, and I aim to score many goals."
Fans will have to wait to see Sagbo in action because City are awaiting international clearance. He will travel with the squad to the pre-season fixture at Birmingham City today, but will not play in the game.
However, he will feature on the trip to Germany next week and should have at least three friendly games to bed in before the season begins at Chelsea.
Meanwhile, this morning's Mirror claims City secured the transfer by inserting a £5m release clause into Sagbo's contract which - if true - shows confidence in his potential, if nothing else.
Bruce has already whetted appetites by comparing the former Monaco man to Aston Villa star Christian Benteke.
"He will be a handful for defenders and give us a different option," said Bruce.
As Phil Buckingham points out today, City have now signed eight players this summer as Bruce reshapes his squad for the Premier League. Only Sunderland and Swansea have been more active in the transfer market.
And City defender James Chester says the new arrivals are creating a healthy competition for starting places at Stamford Bridge.
Chester is favourite to start in defence alongside Maynor Figueroa and Curtis Davies, but Bruce can also call on son Alex, Paul McShane and Abdoulaye Faye.
"It's nice to have that competition," Chester tells today's Mail. "Training is going to be more intense than ever and everyone will be eager to prove they're worthy of a place against Chelsea.
Bruce is now likely to turn his attention to strengthening his midfield. He has not given up on bringing in Stoke City's Wilson Palacios - despite Potters boss Mark Hughes suggesting in the week that the Honduran international had a future at the Britannia.
Nottingham Forest's Adlene Guedioura and QPR's Adel Taarabt have also been touted as options, while City are considering handing and South African trialist Daylon Claasen a contract - if a work permit can be secured.
Another name that has resurfaced this week is former Sunderland captain Lee Cattermole. Several papers report today he is on his way out of the Stadium of Light, and Ladbrokes claim he could arrive at the KC for £2m.
The betting specialists, who have City odds-on to be relegated at 4/6, argue a reunion with Bruce makes sense for both parties after Paulo Di Canio omitted Cattermole from the Black Cats' tour to the Far East.
"Tigers boss Steve Bruce is arguably Cattermole's biggest (and, questionably, only) fan in football, having signed him for Wigan as well as the Black Cats, paying in excess of £8m for him in total.
"This protracted deal will take his spending on the player into double digits, with a fee of £2m reportedly enough to convince Sunderland to sell.
"Bruce's refusal to lose faith in a player with such a shocking disciplinary record, coupled with Hull prioritising his signing, though, means the best career move he could possibly make at this moment would be to the Tigers."
Thanks for the confidence, Ladbrokes!
Despite those claims, City have previously been cool on speculation linking them with the £2m-rated midfielder.
Back to strikers, and another linked to City has been showing off his goal scoring skills. FC Utrecht star Jacob Mulenga scored a fine hat-trick for his club in a Europa League tie. Despite his display, Utrecht tumbled out of the contest after a shock defeat 5-4 aggregate defeat by Luxembourg outfit Differdange 03.
City, Bolton Wanderers, Nottingham Forest and Wigan Athletic have all been linked with Mulenga and with his club out of European competition after Thursday's result, he'll be even more keen to make a move to England. The Zambian international had a better than one in three strike rate for Utrecht over three seasons.
But with Sagbo a done deal, it looks as if the 29-year-old will be destined to show off his talents in the Championship.
Meanwhile, Aaron McLean featured for a Hull City XI beaten 1-0 at Grimsby last night. Mclean, who has been told he is free to leave, has been in talks over a move to Barnsley. Cameron Stewart, who has been linked with Charlton, also turned out.July 26
Hull City manager Steve Bruce has compared Yannick Sagbo to Aston Villa's Christian Benteke, and believes the Ivory Coast striker can have a similar impact on the Premier League.
As reported this morning, the Tigers have yet to finalise a fee with French club Evian for the 25-year-old, but are hoping to complete a deal in time for their pre-season trip to Germany.Update (4pm): Evian say agreement has been reached with Hull City for transfer of Yannick Sagbo
Speaking on TalkSport, Bruce said Sagbo had arrived in England for talks today.
"It is not done and dusted yet but he is in the country, we are talking to him today, and we hope we can push it over the line in the next 24 to 48 hours.
"He is something different to what we have got. He is big, strong and powerful and he likes to run in behind a little bit, which we haven't had a lot of."
"You look at Benteke before he went to Aston Villa, he didn't have a prolific goalscoring record but he had all the attributes to play in the Premier league.
"He is big, strong, powerful and quick, and our boy is a little bit like that too."
You can hear a replay of the full interview with Bruce on the TalkSport site.
Initial reports had suggested a deal over Sagbo could be struck for around £1.6m, but that now appears not to be the case.
Today's Daily Mail claims a fee could rise as high as £3m, but it appears both parties are confident a compromise can be reached.
Bruce remains keen on Stoke City midfielder Wilson Palacios, a player he managed at Wigan Athletic. However, more sources say this morning that Mark Hughes is now determined to hold on to the Honduran international.
The Daily Star asserts Hughes has "thwarted" a Bruce move for Palacios, leading the Tigers boss to turn to £1m Adlene Guedioura from Nottingham Forest.
Meanwhile, Barnsley boss David Flitcroft has confirmed the South Yorkshire club have opened talks with City for striker Aaron McLean.
Bruce has told the 30-year-old former Peterborough man he is free to leave the KC.
Flitcroft told BBC Radio Sheffield: "We're speaking club-to-club at the moment," he told BBC Radio Sheffield.
"If we can negotiate a deal successfully then I'll speak to the player and see if he is right for this group."
"There's a lot of players who you think will suit the group and then when you speak to them you realise they aren't willing to work as hard as the guys we already have here."Crazy Twitter talk: We love the zillion-and-one Twitter accounts claiming to be "football agents in the know" - and today's rumour from that fantasy world is as zany as ever: Hull City are close to agreeing a deal for Real Betis' Ruben Castro for around £3m.July 26
Aston Villa are prepared to jettison Charles N'Zogbia - with Hull City a possible destination, according to the Metro.
Steve Bruce managed N'Zogbia at Wigan, but might struggle to meet Villa's asking price. The 27-year-old was rated at £9.5m when he moved to Villa Park.
The speculation has arisen just days after Paul Lambert replaced N'Zogbia's No 10 jersey with the No 36 shirt, according to The Sun.
Crystal Palace and several European clubs, including Hamburg, Schalke and Lyon, are also interested in the French star.
Meanwhile, Bruce may struggle to land his top midfield target Wilson Palacios - according to reports from Stoke.
Potters boss Mark Hughes has suggested the Honduran international may still have a future at the Britannia Stadium, despite a miserable two years under former manager Tony Pulis.
Bruce has identified the schemer is a key cog in his Premier League midfield having worked with him at Birmingham and Wigan.
But Hughes, who is assessing the strength of his squad on tour in the United States, has hinted Palacios may be handed a lifeline at Stoke - despite playing just nine games since joining for £6m from Tottenham.
"I've had conversations with Wilson," Hughes revealed. "I'm pleased with what I've seen so far.
"I've been pleased with his work on the training ground and I think he could be a good option for us this year."
Speaking of Stoke, The Daily Mail claims QPR midfielder Adel Taarabt could end up with Hughes on loan. However, as Harry Redknapp has already told City, Rangers would prefer a permanent deal for the 24-year-old.
If Hughes decides not to allow Palacios to leave, could City turn instead to Nottingham Forest midfielder Adlene Guedioura? The Algerian international, famed for his spectacular long-range goals, was a key player for Forest in the Championship last season and looks ready to step up a level.
No news yet on speedy striker Yannick Sagbo's painfully slow arrival at the KC Stadium.
When last we heard, Sagbo had been given permission by his French club Evian to speak to the Tigers, but a conclusion to the £1.6m transfer was being delayed by discussions over a sell-on clause.
Meanwhile, Charlton manager Chris Powell has denied his is close to completing a deal for City winger Cameron Stewart.
Powell is looking to bolster his attacking options this summer and although he admits he is interested in Stewart, he insists he is not close to securing his signature.
"He's a player that we've been made aware of, like a lot of other players," Powell said.
"But we're not close to doing anything like that with him or anyone else at this present time."
City have revealed they are helping Egyptian striker Gedo with his rehab after foot operation.
The Al-Ahly man, who made an instant impact on loan for the Tigers last season, before fading in the final run-in, is expected to be out for at least another month.
Bruce told Radio Humberside he felt a possible deal for Gedo to stay at the KC looked unlikely.
Staying with injuries, and whether or not you were keen on him coming, everyone was disappointed for Burnley's Charlie Austin when a knee condition scuppered his move to City.
But now, Clarets boss Sean Dyche has revealed Austin has proved his fitness by sailing through pre-season.
Dyche, quoted in the Daily Star, said: "Charlie's good and he looks fit and well. We are just building him up ready for the season.
"From my point of view, I am delighted he is still here. He is a solid boy, and missing out on a move to Hull isn't the biggest hardship if, like him, you have come from working on a building site and playing for Poole Town.
"We are still letting the dust settle after the Hull business but what we want is to get him enjoying his football and scoring goals."
Another one-time City target Gary Hooper is in a tug of war between QPR and Norwich after Celtic accepted bids from both clubs for their prolific striker.
The Scottish side put up a fight for Hooper, rejecting two previous offers from the London club, three from Norwich back in January, and an offer from the Tigers.
Rangers boss Harry Redknapp has been chasing the former Scunthorpe forward all summer and it is believed a fee in excess of £5m has been agreed.
However, Sky Sports are reporting this morning that Hooper is now on his way for a medical with the Canaries.
Nottingham Forest have also asked about Hooper but were put off by the asking fee - a factor which also scuppered City's chances.
Reports in Trinidad continue to link Stoke's Kenwyne Jones with a move to Hull. Sports writers on the far side of the pond obviously haven't heard Bruce "categorically" rule out a move for either Jones or teammate Peter Crouch because of financial demands.
