WANDERERS look unlikely to beat Championship rivals to the signing of ex-Manchester City and QPR defender Nedum Onuoha.

Reports surfaced yesterday that Phil Parkinson was chasing the 31-year-old free agent after his release at Loftus Road this summer.

But while there does seem to have been some interest in Onuoha stemming back a few weeks, sources close to Hull City suggest the Humberside club is confident they will get the deal over the line, and have already tabled a contract.

There had been some frustration brewing at the KCOM Stadium that talks with Onuoha had slowed of late – with Nigel Adkins keen to get him in quickly as a replacement for Michael Dawson, who signed for Nottingham Forest at the end of May.

Wanderers are in the market for more defensive cover, and remain confident they have quality options available, but had not progressed talks with Onuoha to the same advanced stage.

Mark Beevers and David Wheater are the only senior specialist centre-halves on the books at present, although academy graduate Harry Brockbank is also expected to sign a professional contract in the near future.

Last season’s defensive loanees Antonee Robinson, from Everton, and Jon Flanagan, who has just been released by Liverpool, are also being considered.

Onuoha has more than 300 league appearances under his belt, including six seasons in the Championship with QPR, where he finished last term as captain.

The former England Under-21 international captain has been strongly linked with a move to Wanderers twice before in his Manchester City days.

In 2010 he opted to join Sunderland on loan after falling out of favour under Roberto Mancini, and then a year later was discussed as a potential makeweight in City’s unsuccessful chase for Gary Cahill.

Parkinson’s squad is due to return in groups for pre-season testing next Monday and will play their first friendly at Atherton Colls on July 10.