By Mark Murphy

Hull City manager Phil Brown took advantage of the international break to make some necessary squad additions.   Buoyed by four points from his side’s last two Premier League games, including their first win of the season, 1-0 at home to Bolton, Brown took his total number of summer acquisitions to six.   These included out-of-contract former Celtic striker and shirt manufacturers’ nightmare Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Senegal international defender Ibrahim Sonko on a year-long loan from Stoke City and Republic of Ireland defender Paul McShane from Sunderland.   And this week, the Tigers handed a trial to Brazilian defender Glaubo Berti, who had an unproductive spell at Manchester City last term.   Sonko and McShane were signed in the wake of Michael Turner’s big-money, deadline-day move to Sunderland.

Turner joined Hull from West London lower-league outfit Brentford for £350,000 three years ago and is thought to have commanded £6m from the Black Cats for his services, although the fee officially remains undisclosed. It is half the £12m Hull initially wanted.

Brown claimed that once Turner, one of the few Tigers to consistently impress during last season’s relegation struggle, had become aware of Sunderland’s interest there was little he could do but facilitate a move.

He said: “Once a player makes reference to wanting to leave, you have to activate that kind of deal whether you like it or not.

 

“It was made known to him that (Sunderland) were in for him and you have to listen when the player’s heart is elsewhere.” Turner is reportedly on double his Hull wages.   Brown said of Sonko: “He is a giant of a lad who can head the ball similar to what Michael can. But in terms of a straight replacement, we’ve bought a different player.”   McShane made 19 appearances on-loan at the KC stadium last season and has signed a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee.     The 26-year-old Berti made one appearance for Brazil in 2006 and attracted something of a cult following at Eastlands when he made one appearance as a substitute on the last day of the season, having been an unused bench warmer 20 times.

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Vennegoor of Hesselink was released by the Glasgow giants in early July and has signed a two-year deal. Tigers chairman Paul Duffen believes the 30-year-old Dutch international will give Hull a long-desired goalscoring threat.

He said: “Jan has scored prolifically in top leagues in Europe and it’s what we need. We didn’t score enough goals last season.”

However, the signing of the former Celt leaves the future of former Rangers striker Daniel Cousens in doubt.

Cousen’s move to Championship pace-setters Cardiff City fell through when the Bluebirds were unable to stump up the cash. And Cousen has fallen behind new American signing Jozy Altidore in the Tigers pecking order.

Fourteenth-placed City visit Sunderland on Saturday, giving McShane an early return to his old stomping ground. They may be without striker Caleb Folan, who received a head injury in Ireland’s 1-0 friendly victory over South Africa on Tuesday.