Arsenal’s Vito Mannone is set to solve Hull City’s goalkeeper problem by rejoining the club on loan.

He revealed in November that he’s seeking first team football: “The ideal situation would be to let me go on loan and then make it permanent.”

That now looks like it will happen with a view to a free transfer in the summer. It was previously reported that Mannone signed a 3½-year contract with the Gunners two years ago. However, his name appears on the recently released list of Premier League players out of contract this summer, when he will be 24.

He has made just one appearance this season, coming on as a substitute for Arsenal in the Champions League at Olympiakos a month ago and having a night to remember as they lost 3-1. He then saw a specialist two days later for a shoulder injury.

With Peter Gulacsi currently injured and Adrian Basso also struggling to get to full fitness, City are keen to get a new goalkeeper into the club in time to play in the FA Cup on Saturday. Newcastle United’s apparent desire to retain Steve Harper until after the Cup weekend appears to have deterred City from taking him on loan.

Hull City’s Chief Executive, Mark Maguire, appears set to leave the club, according to talk on Twitter this evening. BBC Radio Humberside’s Mike White says the station will have the news in the morning.

Meanwhile, there are also rumours on Twitter that Robbie Brady will return to Manchester United with his loan soon to expire, with a replacement Premier League loan signing already lined up.

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Former Hull City loanee Vito Mannone is looking for a permanent move away from Arsenal.

The Italian goalkeeper was quoted in The Sun as saying: “The ideal situation would be to let me go on loan and then make it permanent.”

He signed a contract until 2014 in January 2010 following a spell deputising in the Arsenal first team, making 8 appearances early in the 2009/10 season.

He joined Hull City on loan the following season. After an impressive start his loan was extended but injuries became a problem and in the last of his 10 appearances – the 2-4 home defeat to Middlesbrough that put paid to play-off hopes – he was taken off at half time.

Hopes of bringing the 23-year-old back to Hull were dashed when, in July, he set his sights on becoming Arsenal’s first choice, criticising Manuel Almunia and Lukasz Fabianski by saying “the other two keepers are not doing their job especially well.” After featuring in pre-season, Mannone hasn’t played a competitive game, only providing backup for Fabianski in one Carling Cup game, with Wojciech Szczesny starting every league game.

Hull City’s goalkeeper position remains an open question. Peter Gulacsi, on loan from Liverpool, has recently returned to the team due to injury to Adrian Basso but has failed to impress in his five starts to date. Basso, who took over from Gulacsi only three games into the season, will be 37 when his contract runs out at the end of the season, with the option of an extra year at City’s discretion.

Steve Wigley has been unveiled by the club as a new First Team Coach, leaving the Assistant Manager position vacant.

Wigley resumes the role he briefly held during Iain Dowie’s spell in charge at the end of the 2009/10 season, which resulted in just one win from nine games and relegation from the Premier League.

First Team Coach is a position already held by Stuart Watkiss, who was formerly a Development Coach along with new caretaker manager Nick Barmby. Craig Shakespeare also combined the role of First Team Coach along with being one of Nigel Pearson’s two assistants prior to their move back to Leicester City. These developments therefore leave open the number 2 role and reserve team coach.

Steve Wigley is rumoured to be the club’s new Assistant Manager, with an official announcement due tomorrow.

Gary McAllister, a former teammate of caretaker manager Nick Barmby’s at Liverpool, was also rumoured to be in the frame, but Wigley is now thought to be the man coming in.

The 50-year-old from Ashton-Under-Lyne has managed Aldershot Town and coached at Nottingham Forest, Southampton, Manchester City, England youth teams and Bolton Wanderers. He also had a short-lived spell in charge of Southampton in 2004.

This will be his second spell at Hull City having been one of the coaches brought in for Iain Dowie’s ill-fated spell in charge.

He subsequently became Keith Millen’s assistant at Bristol City in the summer, but left earlier this month following Millen’s departure.

The club have spoken of their desire to install a backroom team who will stay at the club regardless of who the manager is. The Allams have today spoken of the “joke” arrangement that involved paying for a head of sports science to travel every month from Sweden. They said they have taken this “opportunity” to restructure the football staff and used “extra money” from the compensation received from Leicester City to do so, as the Foxes “were not naive enough to take them [the staff].”

Former Coventry and Nottingham Forest coach Darren Robinson, who grew up in Hull, is a qualified coach, sports scientist and sports psychologist who recently joined the club’s staff in a sports science role.

Jimmy Bullard has been given his notice by Hull City. Chief Executive Mark Maguire made the announcement on the club’s official website, also saying that Bullard has the right to appeal.

After signing from Fulham in January 2009 for a transfer fee of around £5million and on wages reported to be upwards of £45,000 per week, the midfielder made 18 starts and 5 substitute appearances in the league, scoring 6 goals. His final appearance was in the FA Cup defeat to Wigan in January of this year, prior to his loan move to Ipswich.

Paul McShane has been included in the Republic of Ireland provisional squad for their European Championship qualifiers, despite his current calf injury. He suffered the injury in pre-season training a fortnight ago, and it was expected to rule him out until October.

That led to Nigel Pearson seeking defensive cover, coming close to buying Daniel Ayala from Liverpool, although Pearson has today admitted that is “dead in the water” now with Norwich set to swoop.

Ireland play Slovakia on the 2nd of September in Dublin before facing Russia away four days later. McShane is one of 12 defenders in the 32-man provisional squad. Also included are ex-Tigers Damien Delaney and Keith Andrews, the former now at Ipswich and if fit will play City on Saturday, while the latter could also be involved if he completes a loan move to Ipswich from Blackburn.

Kevin Kilbane, presently on loan from City to Derby, will be looking to add to his record 110 outfield appearances for his country.

Former City attackers Stephen Hunt and Jon Walters are also in Trapattoni’s plans.

Left winger Martin Pusic has signed a one-year contract in time to start tonight’s match against Macclesfield, while Danny East makes his professional debut at right-back.

Goalkeeper Adrian Basso is also making his first appearance for the club. Youth team ‘keeper Joe Cracknell is his cover on the bench.

First year professionals Sonny Bradley and Danny Emerton would also be making their debuts if they come off the bench, where they are joined by moderately more experienced Will Atkinson and the veteran Nick Barmby. There are only five players on City’s bench, while Macclesfield manage to name the full quota of seven.

City line-up (4-4-2): Adriano Basso; Danny East, Jack Hobbs, James Chester, Andy Dawson; Jamie Devitt, Paul McKenna, James Harper, Martin Pusic; Jay Simpson, Matty Fryatt.

Subs: Subs: Joe Cracknell, Sonny Bradley, Will Atkinson, Danny Emerton, Nick Barmby.

Only four who started Friday’s match will be available to Nigel Pearson for tomorrow’s League Cup game against Macclesfield.

Peter Gulacsi, Joe Dudgeon, Tom Cairney and Robbie Brady are on Under-21 duty, while Robert Koren is away with Slovenia. Corry Evans, an unused substitute on Friday, is in the Northern Ireland squad.

Liam Rosenior and Dele Adebola are carrying knocks so won’t be risked. They join Aaron Mclean, Paul McShane, Cameron Stewart and Seyi Olofinjana missing through injury.

That leaves City struggling to make up the numbers, with seven substitutes still permitted for the League Cup.

39-year-old goalkeeper Adrian Basso will make his first appearance for the club, with Mark Oxley – who only has 3 league appearances for Grimsby in 2010 to his name – covering on the bench.

Pearson has only three senior defenders available. Jack Hobbs and James Chester can continue in the centre with Andy Dawson coming in at left-back. On the right, Danny East may be given his debut. The 19-year-old signed professional terms in the summer and played a part in pre-season before being given squad number 25. He was in the news at the weekend for being given a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to grievous bodily harm and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in an incident in December. Presuming a deal for Liverpool’s Daniel Ayala isn’t completed in time, Sonny Bradley – another first year pro who featured in pre-season – will be the only defensive cover.

Pearson can call on the experienced duo Paul McKenna and James Harper in central midfield.

Matty Fryatt, Jay Simpson and Nick Barmby – all misfiring on Friday – are Pearson’s options up front. Kamel Ghilas, who only played a bit part in pre-season and is yet to be issued a squad number, may be included on the bench.

Jamie Devitt, who started 7 Championship games last season, is likely to start on the right. Will Atkinson, loaned out to Rochdale in January after briefly being part of Pearson’s early season plans a year ago, is another wide option.

No deal has been finalised for pre-season trialist Martin Pusic, so Pearson faces including some inexperienced youth team graduates or opting not to use his full quota on the bench.

Gavan Holohan is a central midfielder who signed pro terms a year ago and was on the bench in the FA Cup in January. Conor Townsend is a left winger who can also play at full back, while Daniel Emerton is an attacking midfielder. Both turned professional this summer.

That gives Pearson the 18 players he is allowed to name in his matchday squad. Unless, of course, he selects Jimmy Bullard.