Davies targeted by Tigers to replace Barmby

Barmby is set to meet the club’s owners, Assem and Ehab Allem, in the next 48 hours. He was suspended by the Tigers at the start of the week over his public comments about the need for further ambition in the transfer market this coming summer.

Head of football operations Adam Pearson was also shown the door in a surprise move by the club’s owners, although they have since said Pearson was a self-employed consultant.

Barmby is unlikely to be able to carry on or want to continue as manager after the events of the past few days, no matter what the outcome of his summit meeting with the club’s hierarchy.

Hull continue to remain tight-lipped about what has gone on behind closed doors and what the future might hold for the club.

The silence has prompted much speculation about who will be the man to succeed Barmby and it is Davies who is reported to top the club’s wishlist.

The 47-year-old Scot has vast experience of English football’s second tier having won promotion to the Premier League with Derby County at the end of the 2006-07 season.

He has also taken Preston North End and Nottingham Forest to the play-offs, twice with the latter.

He was dismissed by Forest for his failure in the play-offs last season and has been out of work since.

Davies also worked closely with Hull’s performance manager Darren Robinson during his two years at the City Ground.

Former Barnsley defender and Wolves manager Mick McCarthy is another name in the frame.

Meanwhile, the club’s owners have insisted that the events of the past few days will not result in a fire sale of the prized assets among their playing staff.

The Allems also allayed fears that the club was up for sale.

Ehab Allem said: “We will strengthen in the summer. There will be players going who are out of contract, and there will be players coming in to strengthen us.

“Again, it’s all about sensible decisions.

“We have the added financial constraints of the Financial Fair Play rule and need to consider that but we are ambitious people.

“We didn’t put £50m in to let the club slide.”

Rotherham United have released defender Richard Naylor. The former Leeds player joined the Millers in January but injury restricted him to just five starts.

Manager Steve Evans said: “He has suffered with his knees probably since he joined us and after a chat we have parted ways.”