Transfer Centre

Steve Bruce happy to loan Joe Dudgeon

By Joe Fish, Reporter | 20 September 2013

Hull City boss Steve Bruce would be happy to loan out highly-rated defender Joe Dudgeon in order for the 22-year-old to gain valuable playing time after his long injury layoff.

Hull City manager Steve Bruce has revealed that he would be open to loaning Joe Dudgeon in order to give the highly-rated defender regular first-team football.

Knee surgery last October has limited the 22-year-old to just one appearance for the Tigers this year, and Bruce feels that Dudgeon needs to leave to get playing time under his belt after his long layoff.

A loan move to Barnsley failed to materialise when the Northern Ireland Under-21 international suffered another injury setback, but Bruce would welcome another offer from any of Dudgeon's other admirers.

"Joe Dudgeon needs to go and play somewhere but unfortunately he's hurt his hamstring," Bruce said in the Hull Daily Mail.

"There was a little nibble from Barnsley but unfortunately he picked up a hamstring injury so it wasn't possible.

"He's training again, probably today, and will carry on next week but he needs to go and play. He needs as many games of football as he can after being out for a year."

Dudgeon, who can operate at left-back or in the centre of defence, has made 38 first-team appearances for Hull since he signed for them from Manchester United in 2010.