Owls must look beyond Fryatt to replace Wickham as Bruce rules out loan move

The 27-year-old was wanted by the Owls after Connor Wickham was recalled from his stint at Hillsborough by parent club Sunderland.

That left new Wednesday manager Stuart Gray needing to bring in a replacement ahead of tonight’s trip to Millwall and he turned to Fryatt, who had impressed on loan in S6 just before Christmas.

Hull, however, rejected Gray’s advances yesterday morning and Bruce insists the striker, whose double at Southend United in the FA Cup on Saturday made him Hull’s second highest scorer with just three goals, will only leave if the deal is right.

He said: “Wednesday have come back in but we have refused. It has to suit Matty Fryatt. He is out of contract in the summer. I don’t want Matty to go anywhere, but if it suits him and it is a good solution and it is right for us then things may happen.

“But a loan deal is not the right solution for us at the moment.”

Wednesday could turn to former Leeds United striker Luciano Becchio following their knockback from the Tigers.

As for Bruce, he is hoping that Nikica Jelavic and Shane Long, the £14m strike duo signed by Hull this month, can hit the ground running on their first outing tonight at Crystal Palace.

He said: “We hope they can be ideal partners, that’s why we’ve paidall this money. One is big, strong and powerful, the other is quick, mobile and plays off a big man.

“The partnership has got to be given a bit of time but it has definitely got all the makings. I thought Jelavic was terrific in the first half at Norwich. Shane gives us something we haven’t had before and that is pace in behind.

“I am delighted we have got them both.”

Bruce’s decision to splash the cash was influenced by a goalscoring chart that has Robbie Brady at the top with four goals despite being a left wing-back and his last start having come on December 4.

Before Fryatt netted twice at Southend to take his own tally for this season to three, the mantle of second highest goalscorer was shared between a host of players with just two goals apiece.

The Hull manager said: “If you look at anyone in the bottom half of the division, not many have a regular scorer. There are one or two exceptions, such as the boy at Swansea (Wilfried Bony) – he scores and nobody else does.

“Even allowing for that, you look at the ‘goals for’ (column) and we are still in the bottom 10.

“All us managers find the same thing. It is very difficult and that is why we have paid a lot of money for them – to do the hard part.

“We can all think we are perfectly organised and disciplined and difficult to beat, but you just need that little bit to win games.”