Hull City are locked in talks with French side Toulouse over a move to sign striker Emersson, as the club looks to beef up its attacking ranks ahead of the new Premier League campaign.
No deal has yet been agreed, and discussions for the 21-year-old Brazilian frontman are ongoing with the Tigers hopeful of making a breakthrough in the near future.
Reports in the national media suggesting City have seen a £17.3m bid rejected are understood to be wide of the mark. It was claimed the initial bid was in the region of £15.1m with a further £2.2m in add-ons.
The pacey youngster played 27 times in Ligue 1 last term, scoring six times and notching a couple of assists, including twice in a win at Lyon, and while his record for Toulouse suggests he’s not prolific, City believe he’s a player with potential that will flourish under Sergej Jakirovic.
Capped four times by Brazil’s Under-16 side, Emersonn only arrived in France last summer after arriving from Turkish Super Lig side Goztepe, in a deal worth just under £3m, having come through the academy at Brazilian club Athletico Paranaense.
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Emersonn does have other interests in France and Germany, but a move to the Premier League is thought to appeal to the striker, and the Tigers are hopeful of trying to strike a deal.
Elsewhere, the Tigers continue to hold discussions with Thomas Meunier over a move to the MKM Stadium as he plots his next move, with his contract with Lille set to come to an end on Tuesday.
Jack Butland, the former England goalkeeper, is expected to be the Tigers’ first arrival after sealing promotion, with the 33-year-old set to be part of a swap deal that sees Croatian Ivor Pandur go the other way.
Kyle Joseph’s move to Middlesbrough is also expected to be completed in the next 24 hours, with the frontman set to agree a long-term deal on Teesside.
Both of those exits mean City will surpass the £6m they need to raise before the end of June to ensure they’re compliant with Financial Fair Play rules, and will not receive any punishment for breaching.
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