Allams’ continuing help earns Bruce’s praise

The Tigers are in a hugely promising position, sitting second in the Championship with an impressive haul of 49 points from 26 games.

Crystal Palace and Middlesbrough head the chasing pack, but sit two points adrift of Bruce’s men, a situation that has fired the optimism of supporters hoping for a return to the Premier League come the end of this season.

Bruce is understandably keen to capitalise on his side’s impressive position, which is why he has been so keen to make the stay of Meyler permanent after a hugely encouraging loan spell that saw the midfielder’s seven starts yield 17 points for the Tigers.

To do so, he has needed the support of owners Assem and Ehab Allam, who in 2010 rescued Hull from financial calamity and have since pumped in tens of millions of pounds to keep the club afloat.

Bruce said: “David Meyler is having his medical so we hope to get that deal through, possibly in the morning ahead of the Cup match.

“He has done really well so we’ll all be delighted by such a big signing in the first week of the window. In that respect, I’d like to thank the owners.

“They have been great ever since I arrived in the summer and always offered whatever support has been possible.

“We have got ourselves in a very promising position and the owners can see that. They want us to capitalise, which is great – and especially when you consider the huge financial support they have given Hull City in the past.”

As Meyler prepares to become Bruce’s second seven-figure signing following the summer arrival of Nick Proschwitz for £2.6m, Hull are continuing to scour the market for a striker.

Sunderland’s Fraizer Campbell, a one-time loanee at the KC Stadium, heads Hull’s list of targets, while Swansea City’s Danny Graham has also been linked. Both, though, have featured for their respective clubs in recent weeks so the Championship outfit may have to be patient.

Heading out of Hull, meanwhile, are striker Aaron Mclean and midfielder Jamie Devitt.

Mclean has joined Ipswich Town on loan until the end of the season after managing just three starts this season, while Devitt is heading back to Conference promotion hopefuls Grimsby Town.

For Mclean, a £1.3m capture in the early days of the Allam family’s reign, the move to Ipswich came after Millwall and another unknown Championship outfit had also shown interest in a striker who netted 12 goals in 80 appearances for the Tigers, 29 of which have been from the bench.