Gustavo Puerta transfer clause details and Zambrano ban latest as Hull City boss opens up on duo
Hull City head coach Ruben Selles says he will continue to pick Gustavo Puerta and is not concerned about the possibility of activating a clause in his deal which was agreed when he joined the club in the summer.
It's understood City will be forced to buy the Colombian if he notches up a certain number of starts for the club which is thought to be almost half of the Tigers' 46 league games.
The figure that would see the Tigers obligated to buy the Bayer Leverkusen midfielder is understood to be in the region of £3m. But so far, the 21-year-old has started 14 Championship games and one FA Cup match and remains some way off triggering that clause.
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Selles says he's been given complete control over Puerta's appearances and has not been asked to keep him out of the side at any point to avoid triggering that clause.
"Well, I think there is a number (to meet a clause) there," Selles said in an exclusive sit-down interview with the 1904 Club podcast. "There is a figure, but I don't know the number because I don't want my line-up or my decisions to be conditioned by a number. I have permission from the club to play him as much as I need in the line-up or from the bench. I think that's the most healthy way to do it. If it was different, I would also tell you, but it's not like that.
"I think Gustavo has proved that he's as competent as anybody, and if we need to use him to win football matches, that's what we're going to do."
Selles says keeping the youngster at the MKM Stadium beyond this season is something he'd like to do, with the player showing signs of big improvement in recent weeks. "Yes, I think Gustavo has proved that he's good enough," the Spaniard explained. "There's still a long way to go to really fulfil his potential, but I think he's a very, very interesting young player, and, as a young player, he has his moments when he's better, moments when he needs some support, but he can be really good for this football club."
Selles has also confirmed the club remain in discussions with Oscar Zambrano as he prepares for his appeal hearing with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) at the end of this month. The Ecuadorian midfielder has not played for the club since being slapped with a 16-month doping ban on November 5, but will hope CAS reduce that significant ban in the coming days.
"With Oscar, we had a video meeting scheduled, but for some reason, he was not able to connect, and I was so busy that I could not wait, so we expect to do it in the next couple of weeks.," Selles revealed.
"I know the case. I don't know the insights of that case about how much it can (his ban) be reduced. Unfortunately for me right now, I don't think anything will impact the season for us, and I need to focus on what will impact the season for us."
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