Steven Fletcher rumours ‘nonsense’ insists Bruce

Hull City manager Steve Bruce has apologised to West Brom and Sunderland for reports linking his club with moves for Shane Long and Steven Fletcher.

Steven Fletcher. Picture: Getty

With the January transfer window now open, speculation is rife over potential deals involving Premier League sides but Bruce insists recent reports about the Tigers’ hunt for a striker have been wide of the mark.

There were suggestions this week that Bruce had lodged a bid for Sunderland’s Scotland international Fletcher, while Hull issued a statement dismissing reports that West Brom’s Long – who was close to joining the club in September – was set to have a medical after terms had been agreed.

Bruce is certainly interested in Long, who travelled to Hull by private jet on deadline day in the summer only for the Baggies to pull the plug, but insists there is nothing concrete as yet and is unhappy with inaccuracies being spread.

“First and foremost I really want to try to apologise to West Brom as a club, nothing has come from us and the same goes for another ‘bid’ for another striker. We haven’t bid for anyone yet,” he said. “I don’t mind speculation but I would be disappointed if I was manager of West Brom or Sunderland because it’s simply not true.

“The way Twitter is, the way the media is, it happens but to be so far wide of the mark is ridiculous and it causes us a big problem because we’ve spent half the morning apologising to the respective clubs and we’ve got nothing to do with it.

“Two days before Long it was an £18 million bid for Fletcher, another load of nonsense. What can I do but sit here and apologise to everyone concerned?”

Despite Bruce’s frustration, he will surely be making contact before the window expires about Republic of Ireland international Long. He was hugely frustrated when Albion pulled out of the deal last time and is still firmly in the market for a centre forward.

But the issue was muddied slightly by Tweets attributed to Long’s wife Kayleah, suggesting he would not be leaving the midlands club. In a message on her account she said “Not going anywhere! Told Shane happy here & with baby on way it not worth the stress when still in contract! He agreed?? #happydays.”