Money lined up for DJ Campbell still available for Hull City boss Steve Bruce to spend

HULL City managing director Nick Thompson has promised funds will remain at Steve Bruce's disposal as the Tigers boss weighs up potential moves in the emergency loan market.

Although City have cause to reflect on a positive January transfer window after securing six recruits, a failure to land a recognised striker left Bruce openly admitting his frustrations.

Bruce's ire was aimed primarily at former target DJ Campbell following his 11th-hour snub, as City's attempts to land a proven goalscorer to freshen their promotion challenge ultimately came to nothing.

The chance for Football League clubs to strengthen will return in the emergency loan market from Friday.

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And although the Tigers currently have no plans in place, Thompson says Bruce can still look forward to financial support.

"We didn't spend the money on DJ Campbell so the funds remain available," Thompson told the Mail.

"I can almost certainly say we'll be looking during the emergency loan window, but it's a deal that has to be right for the player and the club.

"Ideally we'd have done our business and been finished by the end of January. It didn't happen that way but there's the opportunity to look again."

Any lingering disappointment from Campbell's rejection was eased with a 1-0 win at Millwall on Saturday, a result that pushed City back level on points with second-placed Leicester in the Championship.

A further boost has come ahead of Saturday's trip to Brighton with the news Egyptian pair Gedo and Ahmed Fathi were yesterday granted work permits by the British Embassy. The pair will now travel to England tomorrow following Egypt's friendly with Chile in Madrid this evening.

Gedo's arrival could provide an immediate answer to City's long-standing attacking flaws and Thompson said: "We obviously wanted a striker and we set our stall out to get one.

"But the loan window is there and Gedo is a proven goalscorer for his country. We could be in a position in a couple of weeks where we've got exactly what we need.

"Equally the emergency loan window opens on Friday and there are already clubs who have contacted us saying there are strikers available if we want them."

Missing out on Campbell last week was the only blot on City's January copybook as the striker controversially walked away from City's "generous" offer in favour of a lucrative deal tabled by Blackburn.

Thompson believes the deal proposed at Ewood Park was "50 per cent more" than City were willing to match, and the Tigers' MD takes satisfaction from adopting a firm stance during negotiations.

"It's easy to be captured by the activity in January and get carried away," he added.

"As in a game, the ability to put your foot on the ball and have a look around will ultimately save you. The answer is not always the chequebook.

"It was disappointing not to get DJ but if it sends out a message to football that we're changing our ways then it might not be an entirely bad thing. That might be the silver lining in the cloud."