Tigers target Mannone

Mannone: Tigers stay

Hull City are keen to sign Vito Mannone on a permanent deal from Arsenal in the summer after agreeing to extend his loan until the end of the season.

The Gunners goalkeeper, who is currently sidelined by a thigh problem, initially moved to the KC Stadium in October.

The 22-year-old Italian shot-stopper has found his first-team opportunities limited under Arsene Wenger and elected to move to gain more match action.

The Tigers' head of football operations Adam Pearson enquired as to the possibility of signing Mannone on a full-time basis but he was given short shrift by the North London side.

Conversation

However, Pearson plans to assess the situation again at the end of the current campaign and has not given up of landing the former Atalanta player.

"We had a conversation with Arsenal about whether they would sell him or not and the answer at this time was definitely a no," he told the Hull Daily Mail.

"In the summer it will depend how he has done here, and if he does really well the chances are that the answer will probably once again be no.

"But it is certainly something we will keep in mind."

• Transfer Specials. Click here to bet.