Hull City boss Steve Bruce targets ex-Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan
HULL City boss Steve Bruce has lined up former Tigers loan star Brad Guzan to solve his goalkeeping problems at the KC Stadium this summer.
Bruce has made recruiting a new keeper the top priority ahead of pre-season training next month and is understood to have installed Guzan high on his wish-list.
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Brad Guzan
The 27-year-old is a free agent following his release from Aston Villa last month and served City with distinction during a three-month loan spell with the club in the 2010-11 season.
A permanent return to East Yorkshire could now be on the cards for the keeper after Bruce missed out on another possible target, Tomasz Kuszczak.
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The former Manchester United goalkeeper opted to join Championship rivals Brighton yesterday, despite the Tigers declaring a keen interest in the free agent over the last seven days.
City are now likely to switch all their attention to Guzan as he eyes up a club that can offer regular first-team football after four largely frustrating years as an understudy at Villa Park.
Ipswich Town, who were also in the running for Kuszczak, appear to be the most likely stumbling block for the transfer, but Guzan may favour the Tigers after enjoying a previous stint at the KC during Nigel Pearson's reign.
Sixteen appearances for City between January and April 2011 continues to represent Guzan's longest sequence as a first-choice goalkeeper before the terms of his emergency loan eventually curtailed his short time with the Tigers.
Another factor in the deal is the fact Bruce is also familiar with Guzan. The City boss was in charge of Sunderland when the Illinois-born keeper saved four penalties in one League Cup tie as Aston Villa won at the Stadium of Light in October 2009.
For now, the goalkeeper is currently mulling over his options after an extended season on international duty with the USA side.
He was part of the US squad that faced Scotland, Brazil and Canada in the end-of-season friendlies before being an unused substitute in the World Cup qualifiers against Antigua and Barbuda and Guatemala last week, serving as back-up to Everton keeper Tim Howard.
City's need for a new goalkeeper is clear after the exit of all three figures who featured between the sticks during 2011-12.
Vito Mannone had been Nick Barmby's first-choice transfer target before his sacking, and while the Italian is still open to a City move, Arsenal's £1m asking price has always looked capable of jeopardising interest.
Veteran Adriano Basso will formally leave the KC upon the expiry of his one-year deal next week, while Peter Gulacsi returned to his parent club Liverpool in March.
That leaves City without a recognised number one on the books and triggered speculation of moves for both Craig Gordon and former Hull City stopper Boaz Myhill.
Ex-Sunderland keeper Gordon is not thought to be in Bruce's plans as he hopes to land a top-flight club for his services, while no contact has been made for Myhill.
A veteran of three promotions with the Tigers during his time at the KC Stadium, Myhill will assess his future when returning to pre-season training at West Brom under new boss Steve Clarke.
Comments
by OedipusTex
Friday, June 22 2012, 2:09PM
“Oh my, I hope he's not a Cubs fan.”
by HCAFCscarb
Friday, June 22 2012, 1:07AM
“2biscuits is a Hull FC fan and a troll.
He can be found acting up on the Egg Chasing Forums so ignore his posts .”
by HCAFCscarb
Friday, June 22 2012, 1:02AM
“Rumour is Villa want to keep Guzan as back up.”
by HCAFCscarb
Friday, June 22 2012, 1:01AM
“Andy Dawson gets another one year contract
Steve Bruce in talks with Heskey .
There . That's some real news that's not made up.”
by MattLill
Thursday, June 21 2012, 8:18PM
“From a common sense point of view, the club needs to be ran as cheap as possible, credit to the owners because they are doing exactly that. They will pay for players providing the managers gives a good enough case for wanting the player, eg, bringing in Fryatt and Mclean when both Stewart and Jay Simpson were playing well over the Christmas period.
Money will be available IMO, would be daft not to and daft is 1 things the allams aren't.”
by 2biscuits
Thursday, June 21 2012, 7:59PM
“Mannone should be a priority.The players rate him and our back four is comfortable with Vito controlling from the back.
I reality if we wont spend a reported 1 million or less on such a prospect and important position in the team then what does that say about Allam.
Guzan would make a good back up to Vito but it seems to me what Adam Pearson said several months ago is going to be true with only free agents coming in.
Keep getting turned down Steve and it will be the quickest resignation in football as the Wigan post is coming up for grabs.”
by MattLill
Thursday, June 21 2012, 4:17PM
“Myhill was a shot stopper a good 1 at that, but wasnt the best keeper, but better avialable for cheaper...
£1m for a keeper who is only going to get better and probably be between our sticks for many years to come is a bargain... Mannone should be first choice IMO
Bruce knows best...
UTT”
by TonyM
Thursday, June 21 2012, 3:37PM
“Some interesting names on here:
http://tinyurl.com/cjw8e36 Only speculation, but what else is there at the moment?”
by SteveB1234567
Thursday, June 21 2012, 2:46PM
“Guzan wouldn't be top of my list, to be honest. Would love to see Vito back, but I can appreciate the logic of saving the £1million fee to be spent on attacking options.”
by OaktownTiger
Thursday, June 21 2012, 1:52PM
“prefer Vito but Guzan will do a good job, loved him at Chivas, and he's a free agent so we keep money for other positions, he'd be starting for the US if Tim Howard wasn't. I'm sure only the owners and manager know, the paper doesn't that's obvious !”