Sheffield Wednesday boss Xisco Munoz gives updates on Momo Diaby, Marvin Johnson, George Byers, Liam Palmer and Michael Smith ahead of Championship game at Hull City
Reports in Portugal suggest the Frenchman is poised to join on a season-long loan. The player is the younger brother of ex-Arsenal midfielder Abou Diaby, who has previous played alongside Owls' summer signing Juan Delgado at Pacos de Ferreira
Munoz, speaking ahead of Saturday’s Yorkshire derby at Hull City, said: "One of the things I do not try to speak about is players - after (they have signed or not) we can speak about them.
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Hide Ad"Always I say the same, we are very close to some players and the club is working for this situation. We will see what happens in the next days."
Meanwhile, Munoz is now ruling out departures this month as he continues to realign his squad and shape it in his own image.One player who has been out of his plans in the early part of the season is Marvin Johnson.
On the general situation, he added: "In the Championship, you always need 25 players ready to play. This is the thing. Right now, everybody in the squad is in my head to help the team.
"When the time arrives, I maybe need to make some decisions.
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Hide Ad"Sure, when the (new) players arrive and then after, I maybe need to take some decisions and we need to sell this one.
"Right now, all my focus is on what we have now and to concentrate on the next games. Not only Marvin, but everyone else is in my head to try and get the best 11 and find a better team for the next game.
"You never know..In the market, you never know and the market changes every day. Right now, I am happy about our squad.
"We need to improve other things and maybe some need players in the future, but one of the things is that every player here will give 100 per cent to try and stay in the squad."Our players have big values and you never know which clubs might come in to (try) and pick up our players. But I know what I have in our squad.”
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Hide AdMunoz says that George Byers, Liam Palmer and Michael Smith should be in contention for Saturday.
Byers missed last Friday's league opener against Southampton with muscle stiffness, but returned to the bench for Tuesday's EFL Cup tie with Stockport County - but was an unused replacement.
Palmer also did not feature despite also being on the bench - as he recovers from minor surgery earlier this summer - but is available for the weekend.
Derby County target Michael Smith, who was not involved in the midweek game due to illness, returned to training today and should be okay.
Mallik Wilks won't be involved.
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Hide AdMunoz continued: "One of the things we have to know about the squad right now is that 99 per cent of the players are ok for the weekend and this is good news when you have everyone ready to play.
"Michael was coming back today and was very good and we will see tomorrow if he is 100 per cent for the game. Ninety-nine per cent, he looks like being able to play.
"With Mallik, he has some problems and we will see if he arrives or not."