Hull City v Bournemouth: Marco Silva calls on Robert Snodgrass to block out transfer speculation

The Scotland international has been the subject of two unsuccessful bids from West Ham United and plenty of further interest from elsewhere in the Premier League.

Middlesbrough are very keen to take Snodgrass to the Riverside as a replacement for Stewart Downing, who has been told he can leave the club on loan during the transfer window.

Silva, however, knows just how pivotal the former Leeds United wideman is to Hull’s chances of beating the drop and wants him to stay.

“I want Snodgrass to focus on our team, this is what I want,” said the Portuguese ahead of his first game in the Premier League.

“I have spoken about this with him. Not only for Snodgrass, but for all the players who have good performances until this moment.

“You have some offers (for players), this is normal. The window is never easy for the clubs to control these situations.

“But the player is here and works well. He needs to be focused on our team to play well, as he has done in the last games. That is most important to me and I see that in Snodgrass during the week.”

Hull could hand debuts to Oumar Niasse and Evandro following the duo’s arrival yesterday. Niasse has joined on loan until the end of the season from Everton, while Porto midfielder Evandro is reunited with Silva after agreeing a two-and-a-half year deal at the KCOM Stadium.

“I don’t know why he (Niasse) hasn’t played at Everton,” said the Hull chief.

“You need to put this question to the Everton manager. But he has come here with ambitions to help Hull. What we have to do is be patient with both players.”