Jimmy Bullard had a medical last night after Hull City agreed to pay £5 million for the midfield player, who is available after failing to agree a new contract with Fulham.

The London club offered Bullard about £30,000 a week — £5,000 more than his present deal, which has 18 months left — but the player is thought to have wanted closer to £50,000. Bullard missed more than a year with the cruciate ligament injury he suffered in 2006, but has returned to form and was included in the England squad for the first time for the World Cup qualifying matches away to Andorra and Croatia last summer.

Decent bets

Middlesbrough have agreed a £1.5 million fee with Crystal Palace for Ben Watson. The midfield player, who is out of contract this summer, had a medical with the Teesside club yesterday, although the deal could be hijacked after a second club matched the asking price for the 23-year-old. Wigan Athletic are among the clubs seeking a midfield player, but they have made a £4 million offer for Stephen Hunt, the Reading winger.

Gianluca Nani, West Ham United’s technical director, is close to finalising a deal with Gino Corioni, the Brescia president, to sign Savio Nsereko. The forward, who could make his debut for Germany in a friendly fixture against Norway next month, is expected to cost about £5 million with additional payments that could double the fee.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are expected to sign Nigel Quashie, 30, on loan for the rest of the season from West Ham after Birmingham City decided not to extend his loan deal.

Dead certs

Nicklas Bendtner, the Arsenal forward, has turned down the chance to move to Hoffenheim, according to Thomas Bendtner, his agent and father. “It’s always like that and we are glad that there is interest for Nicklas, but a transfer is not going to happen at this stage,” he said. “Nicklas will stay at Arsenal.”

Arsenal have turned down Atlético Madrid’s request to sign Emmanuel Eboué, the midfield player. Celtic have confirmed an interest in taking Ched Evans, the Manchester City striker, on loan.

Stelios Giannakopoulos, 34, the midfield player, has moved to Larissa after five months at Hull City. The Greece winger started only one match and made two further appearances from the substitutes’ bench.

Al-Nasr have signed Hossam Ghaly, the 27-year-old Egypt midfield player, from Tottenham Hotspur for £1.5 million.

Long shots

Fred’s agents have offered the Brazil forward to several clubs, including Tottenham. Lyons want to sell the player because he is out of contract in the summer, but have valued him at an excessive £4.5 million.