Fryatt, Koren to wait for contract talks

Steve Bruce will wait until Hull City’s Premier League future is decided before opening contract talks with Matty Fryatt and Robert Koren.

The pair’s current deals both run out at the end of the campaign, but with 12th-placed Hull still not assured of their top-flight status, Bruce is retaining his focus solely on ensuring survival.

Koren has started only nine Premier League games this season, while Fryatt has yet to start one, although he has been more involved in Hull’s FA Cup run, scoring twice.

With first-choice attacking pairing Shane Long and Nikica Jelavic ineligible for Sunday’s quarter-final with Sunderland, Fryatt could be set to feature once more and Bruce has been impressed with the 28-year-old of late.

“When we secure our Premier League status, we’ll all kick into gear and start looking at what we do for next year. It all starts again,” he told The Hull Daily Mail.

“Certainly the performances of Koren and Fryatt, particularly Fryatt, are not doing any harm. I’m just seeing Fryatt and he’s certainly got something to offer.

“I’ve been really pleased with his performances, against Brighton in particular.

“Koren’s been my captain since I came here, too. We’ll sit down with them when we know where we’re going to be.”