TIGERS CLOSE IN ON OSCAR DEAL

AND DISCUSSIONS ONGOING OVER MCBURNIE CONTRACT

- By DOMINICK HOWSON

HULL City remain optimistic of finalising a permanent deal for Oscar Zambrano in the coming days.

The Ecuador midfielder has not played since November 5 after being hit with a doping ban for an offence committed when he was playing for LDU Quito.

Santo Domingo-born Zambrano, who joined the Tigers on a season-long loan deal last August, was initially handed a 16-month ban but that was reduced to 12 on appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport earlier this year.