Hull boss Phil Brown is not expecting defender Sam Ricketts to leave the club this summer.

Wales international Ricketts, who has one year remaining on his contract at the KC Stadium, has been linked with Portsmouth and Everton.

The 27-year-old made 35 appearances for the Tigers last season, mostly in the full-back positions.

Brown is now in the process of trying to negotiate a new deal with Ricketts and said: "It is something that is ongoing and has been for six months - and something that will be ongoing for the next six months, I dare say.

"He has got another year left on his contract so I fully expect him to be in for pre-season training.

"There is nothing with regards to any of the players making any kind of move with regards to getting away."

Hull, who escaped relegation from the Premier League on the final day of last season, begin pre-season training next Monday and travel to a camp in Italy two days later.

Kamil Zayatte and Richard Garcia will be missing after international duty for Guinea and Australia respectively but Brown is hopeful some new faces will be travelling.

Hull are hoping to secure deals for Nancy striker Marc-Antoine Fortune and Manchester United's Fraizer Campbell in the coming days.

Brown also has other targets, including an audacious attempt to sign Michael Owen, in mind.

Brown said: "At this moment in time I am quite happy with the squad I have got and I am trying to improve it by bringing in four or five quality Premier League players.

"It is difficult in a week that we could get five or six deals done but it is not beyond the realms of possibility.

"When I first arrived we did three in one day and last season we did three in one day as well."

Hull released eight players at the end of last season as Brown began his preparations for a second top-flight season.

Ricketts apart, he is happy with the contract lengths of all his current squad and is looking forward to their return next week.

He said: "I will be sitting down with a number of individuals over the next week with regards to appraising the situation they are in and fitness-testing them.

"Hopefully by the time we get to Bormio we will have a happy bunch."