International break timely for Hull recruitment – Phelan

Mike Phelan hopes he will have added numbers to his Hull City squad by the time his players return from the international break.

The interim boss watched on at a rain-drenched KCOM Stadium on Saturday as Hull’s 100 per cent start to the Premier League campaign was ended by Marcus Rashford, whose 92nd-minute goal earned a 1-0 win for Manchester United.

Hull were widely tipped to struggle before the new season following the resignation of manager Steve Bruce, with no new players arriving in the transfer window and ill-feeling towards the owners, the Allam family, continuing to grow among the supporters.

Despite those problems, Phelan led the club to wins over Leicester City and Swansea City in their opening two league fixtures, but the former United assistant knows he must add fresh blood to his squad before their next game at Burnley on September 10.

“We have to sit down at some time or other and with the break coming up it seems a good time to do that,” he said in his post-match media conference. “You just have to get on with your job.

“We need to sort something [in the window] first, then we can sort my future. I know a few things which are private, but I know that there’s an effort to get the takeover over the line.”

Hull have been linked with a move for Cardiff City goalkeeper David Marshall, while there was further concern for Phelan after midfielder Robert Snodgrass limped out of the action early in the second half.

“We’re hoping a lot of football clubs will be accepting bids, but in the meantime we need to tie them up,” Phelan said.

“These players need a little bit of help. I want to be able to say to them when they come back that we have reinforcements.

“Robert has got a sore calf. He picked a fight with a goalpost and he lost. Maybe he will go on international duty, he should be ok. It was just a precaution to take him off. Tight calves can lead to sore calves.”

Phelan’s media conference was interrupted when United’s press officer returned to the room to pick up Jose Mourinho’s phone, which he had left behind, before Phelan jokingly suggested he could have hijacked some of his counterpart’s transfer plans.

“Yeah, nick a few free transfers! Zlatan [Ibrahimovic] was a free transfer wasn’t he?” he said.