EXCLUSIVE by Pete O’Rourke

Chelsea defender Todd Kane is poised to join Hull City on a free transfer, Football Insider sources understands.

Chelsea have decided to grant long-serving defender Kane a free transfer even though he has one year to run on his contract at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues have agreed to let Kane move on in search of regular first-team football at this stage of his career, but have inserted a sell-on clause in the deal with Hull.

The 24-year-old never made a first-team appearance for Chelsea having spent the majority of his time at Stamford Bridge out on loan with spells at Preston North End, Blackburn, Bristol City and Nottingham Forest as well as stints abroad in Holland withh NEC Nijmegen and FC Groningen.

He came up through the Chelsea youth ranks and joined the club in 2010.

Kane spent the second half of last season on loan at Oxford United and he impressed during his time at the Kassam Stadium, scoring three goals and providing two assists in 17 games for the League One club.

A number of Championship and League One clubs have expressed an interest in signing Kane this summer, but Hull have moved quickly to agree a deal with the versatile defender.

Hull boss Nigel Adkins has been busy reshaping his defence this summer after losing a number of stars at the end of last season and Kane is now poised to become the club’s fifth new signing of the transfer window.