Hull City transfer talk: St Patricks star Sean Hoare to join Tigers permanently?

Our daily blog with the latest news, transfer rumours and gossip about Hull City in the Premier League.

HDM Sport on Facebook HULL City are thought to be keen on taking St Patrick's Athletic defender Sean Hoare on a permanent deal following a trial period last month. The 20-year-old made a huge impression at the KC Stadium after a brief spell training with the Tigers, with Steve Bruce a big admirer of the centre-half when he was assessed in the club's development squad, according to the Irish Independent. Hoare became a regular at St Pats and starred in their FAI Cup win over Derry City, whilst also being called up by the Republic of Ireland under-21s side last year as a substitute. Hoare could follow fellow Irishman Brian Lenihan to the KC, having seen the Cork man join the Tigers in the summer. However, if City want to follow up their interest, Bruce will have to dip into the club's funds as Hoare is under contract. Tigers interested in Defoe IN case you missed it, Hull City manager Steve Bruce has confirmed his interest in former Tottenham striker Jermaine Defoe. The 32-year-old is currently planning a return to the Premier League from MLS side Toronto FC, but City may not be able to cope with the forward's reported wage demands of £60,000 a week.Click here to read the full story.Bruce's best comes out under pressure? HE'S used to being under pressure, but does Steve Bruce show his quality when the heat is on? That's exactly what Match of the Day pundit Martin Keown said last night on BBC One. With the Tigers producing arguably the performance of the season against Everton, two first-half goals from Ahmed Elmohamady and Nikica Jelavic provided City with the perfect start to 2015. Presenter Gary Lineker said: "Six points over the Christmas period is a big turnaround, and that was more like the Hull we came across in terms of last season under Steve Bruce." And Keown replied: "Listening to Brucey there in the interviews he's sticking by his players, with Jelavic coming up with the goods. "It's been a difficult time for Steve Bruce but I think he shows his quality when he's being pushed into the corner. "Six points from nine over Christmas, he's now got them out of trouble and it was vital they won (against Everton)."Wenger to make keeper changes after Szczesny's woeful showing ONTO Sunday evening's FA Cup final 'replay' tie against Arsenal, and Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has confirmed he will be making a change in the goalkeeper spot. In a spot of good-timing for Arsenal, David Ospina looks set to face the Tigers following Wojciech Szczesny's woeful showing in the 2-0 defeat at Southampton yesterday.

Boss on @D_Ospina1: "He was not in the squad because he will play on Sunday" #SFCvAFC

— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) January 1, 2015

However, Wenger refused to blame the keeper for the damaging loss at St Mary's, saying: "I don't want to talk about Szczesny. I don't want to make too much of a case of it – it's unfortunate. "It was a misunderstanding with Laurent Koscielny at the start. Then we should have stayed on Saido Mane. "It was a bit of a self-inflicted defeat. We made mistakes at the back that were punished." Ospina has failed to play a single Premier League game for the Gunners since his £3million move from Nice in the summer, but has played once in the Champions League in Arsenal's 4-1 win over Galatasaray.Hernandez makes PL Team of the Week AND finally, it's congratulations to Hull City striker Abel Hernandez after he was named in WhoScored's team of the week following his superb showing against Everton. The Uruguayan produced a deadly showing in the Toffees win, and will now look to kick on from here at the Emirates on Sunday afternoon.

GRAPHIC: Premier League Team of the Week - Gameweek 20 pic.twitter.com/VflejyiWvm

— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) January 2, 2015