Exclusive: Identity of Hull City's mystery international trialist revealed

HULL City will use this week's training camp in Portugal to run the rule over South African international Daylon Claasen.

Claasen, who has made seven appearances for his country, has been training with the Tigers since they returned for pre-season last week.

The 23-year-old midfielder has already made an impressive outing in black and amber, after scoring one goal and setting up another in the 6-0 win at Winterton on Monday, when named as James Armstrong on the team-sheet.

He is available on a free transfer following a spell in the Belgian top flight, having left Lierse in April after choosing to run down his contract.

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Although the Belgians were keen to retain his services at the Herman Vanderpoortenstadion after he helped them to retain their First Division status, Claasen wants to ply his trade in Europe after fully recovering from a knee injury which had kept him sidelined for six months.

A household name in his homeland, Claasen is no stranger to English football. He was invited to Everton for a trial at the end of last season, where he impressed, and was due to return in pre-season, before manager David Moyes left to take over at Manchester United.

As a midfielder who is from a similar mould to Toffees favourite Steven Pienaar, Claasen is now hoping to follow in his compatriot's footsteps and make his way into English football.

That has led Claasen's representatives to sound out City boss Steve Bruce, who was happy to cast his eye over a player who made his senior debut for Ajax Cape Town aged just 16.

Having made such a positive impact as a young pro, Claasen went on trial at Real Madrid and Espanyol, but his hopes of a move to Spain were dashed because of tight restrictions regarding non-EU players.

With no such restrictions existing in Holland, he eventually signed for Ajax Amsterdam in 2008 but a lack of first-team action saw him move to Lierse in August 2010.

His performances for the then newly-promoted side earned him a call-up to the South African national team and he was due to go on trial at QPR before manager Mark Hughes was sacked last season.

Hughes remains interested in the creative midfielder and is keen to cast an eye over him at Stoke ahead of the new Premier League campaign. However, he is believed to have been told to assess his current squad before making any new additions.

Scottish champions Celtic have also made their interest known, having been impressed by him in a one-week trial at the end of April.

"He's been playing at Lierse and came back from injury at the end of last season, but because he would not sign a new deal, he was played on the bench," said his agent, Rob Moores.

"He still managed to play seven games, but he is now keen to try his hand in Europe.

"He's at Hull to go on their training camp to Portugal and, hopefully, he can show Steve Bruce what he can do."

Claasen, who is equally comfortable on the right or left of midfield, is expected to feature in the Tigers' friendlies against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday and SC Braga on Tuesday.

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