HDM Sport on Facebook HULL City have seen the trail go cold in their search for a new forward this transfer window, but Steve Bruce may have made a breakthrough in their search for a new assistant coach at the KC Stadium. Following his acrimonious departure from West Brom after just one week with the club, Paul Jewell is available and is being touted by several national papers as Bruce's preference for the vacant number two role at the Tigers. According to the Daily Mirror, Bruce is eager to take on Jewell as his right-hand man, with The Independent and The Times reporting there could be a role for the former Derby, Ipswich and Wigan manager in East Yorkshire. The 50-year-old will be eager to settle his dispute with the Baggies first, however, after threatening legal action against the Midlands outfit. It's reported that Jewell was asked to take a pay-cut after Tony Pulis asked to add Gerry Francis to his backroom staff, with the now-former coach refuting claims that he left The Hawthorns by mutual consent. Former Tigers target in Liverpool's sights FORMER Hull City target Mathew Ryan has emerged as a possible January acquisition for Liverpool, according to the Daily Mail. Australian goalkeeper Ryan, who plays his football in Belgium for Club Brugge, is currently in action for the Socceroos in the Asian Cup. Liverpool's goalkeeping woes have been laid bare this season by a series of sub-par performances from Simon Mignolet, while Brad Jones, another Aussie, has stepped up to the first team on occasions in an attempt to provide the Belgian with some much-needed competition.City have had their own goalkeeping troubles this campaign– with injuries to Allan McGregor and Steve Harper forcing Steve Bruce to turn to third-choice Eldin Jakupovic earlier in the season. And with Harper making a decision on retirement after his birthday in March, the need for another shot-stopper could still be prominent in Bruce's thoughts, both this month and in the summer. Ben Arfa refused clearance to join Nice Poor Hatem Ben Arfa just can't catch a break, can he? According to The Guardian amongst others, the former Hull City loanee has been initially refused clearance to sign for OGC Nice by FIFA, after they deemed the Frenchman to have played for two clubs already this season. Having turned out on nine occasions for the Tigers, FIFA have ruled that a reserve match for Newcastle in August counted as an official fixture for the Magpies, and as a result will not sign off on a move to a third club until the summer. The English FA have written to the powers that be to confirm that the match in questions was not an official match, and an appeal could yet see the decision overturned. However as far as Newcastle and Hull are concerned, given the player's application and commitment, FIFA have probably done Nice a bit of a favour…Diame linked with Sevilla loan move THERE are always a few spurious rumours flying around during the transfer window, but you feel that this one has to top the lot. A couple of online channels have pointed to the Metro and Sky Sports as sources for a report that Mo Diame is a loan target for La Liga side Sevilla. Despite the fact that those reports are impossible to locate, the likelihood of City letting one of their star players leave on a short-term deal, never mind the fact that injury would prevent the Spanish club seeing their new man in action for the forseeable future, would seem to put the reports to bed. Gainsborough want to extend Tigers duo's stay WHILE Diame's loan deal may be fantasy, a couple of youth Tigers could have their short-term deals extended.Gainsborough Trinity are hoping to prolong the loan deals of City youth pair Jonathan Margetts and Matt Dixon. Current deals for both players expire after the January 24, however Trinity boss Steve Housham is eager to keep the duo on until the end of the campaign. "We are definitely keen to keep Jonathan Margetts and will pursue that," Housham told the Lincolnshire Echo. "In an ideal world, we would also keep Matty (Dixon), but, with Simon Russell approaching full fitness again, we will have to assess whether our finances will stretch to that. "Both of them have been fantastic for us, stand-out players, so we want to keep them both."
