Our daily blog with the latest news, transfer rumours and gossip about Hull City in the Premier League.Bruce asks Chelsea for Marco Van Ginkel
Steve Bruce says he is hoping Chelsea will allow Marco Van Ginkel to leave Stamford Bridge.
The Hull City manager wants to find a creative midfielder to replace the injured Robert Snodgrass and is keen on the 21-year-old Dutchman.
He told the Mail today: "I don't know if it's possible that Chelsea would let him go out. Obviously, there's a few clubs that have been linked with him and if he became available then of course we would be interested. But I'm not so sure that he is available."
Meanwhile, Bruce today confirmed City are set to complete the signing of Palermo striker Abel Hernandez before Monday's transfer deadline.
But midfielder Sejad Salihovic won't be coming from Hoffenheim after Bruce rubbished reports he was preparing a bid.Brian Lenihan will sign for Hull City on Monday
Cork City full-back Brian Lenihan WILL become a Hull City player on Monday, according to the Irish Examiner.
The Tigers have held off competition from Brighton and are putting the finishing touches to a deal this weekend.
Lenihan, 20, is regarded as one of Ireland's brightest up-and-coming stars.Aston Villa 'can't afford' Tom Cleverley
Talk of Aston Villa tying up a deal for Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley may be premature, if the Daily Express is to be believed.
That's because Villa simply cannot afford Cleverley's wages.
The England international is believed to be on £70,000-a-week and Villa owner Randy Lerner will not sanction that sort of spending while the club is up for sale.
Villa are believed to have had a £7m bid accepted for Cleverley.
The Express claims Hull City have also had an offer accepted, although Steve Bruce said on Thursday that although he was keen on Cleverley, he had yet to make a serious move.
Roy Keane, the Villa assistant manager, has held talks with Cleverley, according to The Mirror, in an attempt to persuade the 25-year-old that his international ambitions hinge on playing regular first-team football.
Everton and Valencia are also said to be interested.QPR close on Momo Diame
Meanwhile, another midfield target looks set to join Queens Park Rangers.The Mirror says Harry Redknapp is convinced a deal for West Ham star Momo Diame can be completed before Monday's transfer deadline.
Bruce has admitted an interest in strongman Diame, who would add a new dimension to the Tigers' midfield alongside Jake Livermore and Tom Huddlestone. The Hammers are said to have turned down a £3m offer from City, but sources in east London suggest another bid could yet be forthcoming.Danny Welbeck will not be heading to HullDanny Welbeck has no intention of leaving Manchester United for Hull City, according to the Daily Mail.
The England striker is instead weighing up offers from Arsenal and Tottenham.
Bruce has denied ever moving for Welbeck.Bet on a top ten finish to banish Europa League blues
Hull City fans may have been disappointed at the early exit from Europe, but bookies argue it is good news for the long-term future of the club.
The Tigers already enjoy the publicity of playing in the world's most watched league, and although supporters were yearning for a handful of glamorous away days, we suspect, if forced to choose, most would plump for Premier League survival over a trip to the San Siro.
We'd have loved both, of course, but if this particular cloud has a silver lining, it is in the examples of Newcastle and Swansea, who both struggled in the league when running a parallel Europa League campaign.
BWinBetting.com points out that the Swans played seven games more last season than in their previous campaign, while Newcastle added 11 fixtures in 2012/13.
The increased workload saw Swansea slip three places by the season's end and the Magpies a massive eleven positions.
But last season, without the distraction of Europe, Newcastle got off to a flier and established themselves in the top ten, eventually finishing 12 points clear of the Tigers.According to BWinBetting.com, this all means that a punt on City to finish in the top 10, at 11/4, makes perfect sense. The Tigers were just a point off tenth as late as March last season and with new signings and the experience of that first campaign under their belts, Steve Bruce's squad have an excellent opportunity to push on.
