Hull determind to keep Diame amid Newcastle bid

Rob Conlon
Mohamed Diame: Midfielder in pre-season action

Mohamed Diame: Midfielder in pre-season action

Hull are determined to keep Mohamed Diame despite reports suggesting Newcastle have met the Senegal international’s release clause.

Press Association Sport understands that the Tigers will offer Diame a new contract and hope that the former Wigan and West Ham midfielder joins them on their pre-season trip to Austria.

Newly-promoted Hull head out to Austria on Tuesday for pre-season fixtures against Caykur Rizespor and Torino ahead of their Premier League opener against champions Leicester on August 13.

Championship club Newcastle have reportedly triggered the 29-year-old’s release clause, but Diame – whose wonder-strike against Sheffield Wednesday in May secured Hull’s promotion through the play-offs – trained with his Tigers team-mates on Monday.

Diame’s departure would represent another blow for Hull who have suffered a torrid time ahead of their top-flight return.

Steve Bruce – the most successful manager in the club’s history – left 10 days ago after four years at the KC Stadium following a breakdown in his relationship with the club’s owners, the Allams.

Bruce’s frustration grew as Hull failed to strengthen their squad this summer on the back of long-term injuries to Allan McGregor, Michael Dawson, Moses Odubajo and his son Alex.

Former Manchester United assistant manager Mike Phelan is currently in caretaker charge and will take the squad to Austria.

But former Watford and West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola has emerged as the favourite to succeed Bruce before the new season starts.

Reports in Italy on Monday said that 50-year-old Zola, who was sacked by Qatari club Al-Arabi in June after one season in the Middle East, has been the subject of an approach from Hull.

The Tigers’ link with Zola came after the Football Association of Wales warned off Hull over making an approach to their manager Chris Coleman, who recently guided the country to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 and only signed a new two-year contract in May.

“The simple fact of the matter is that there is a contract in place,” FAW president David Griffiths told WalesOnline.

“He shouldn’t be speaking to anybody else and they most definitely should not be speaking to Chris without coming to us first for permission.

“I know Chris very well, have done for many years since he was coming through the ranks with Swansea, and we fully expect him to be in charge through the World Cup qualifying campaign.

“Chris is our man for the next two years and knows he still has a job to finish with us.”