Hodgson will invest after Hull seal £5m Bullard deal

Jimmy Bullard today ended months of speculation about his future by joining Hull from Fulham for £5million.

But while the Craven Cottage fans will mourn the loss of their midfielder, Roy Hodgson was pragmatic about Bullard's departure.

The Fulham manager had begun to lose patience over negotiations with the player, who had demanded an extension to a contract that had 18 months still to run and a rise from £25,000 to a reported £50,000 a week that would have broken the club's wage structure.

The 30-year-old has agreed a four-and-a-half-year deal with Hull which is believed to be worth up to £40,000 a week.

Hodgson said: "We were always aware that if there was a club out there able to meet Jimmy's wishes and his demands, we would have to bite the bullet on it.

"Then we would have to make sure we were suitably recompensed and I think the transfer fee negotiated is suitable compensation for a player of his age. The possibility of losing Jimmy has been there all the time because he has been seeking the type of contract that we could not give him.

"I was rather hoping that there wouldn't be anyone out there who would give it to him, either. But I am happy for him in the sense that he has got the contract, and the length of contract, that he wanted and looked for.

"I thank Jimmy for the good year of work that he did during my time at the club, certainly in helping us to avoid relegation and then having a good start to this season."

Fulham have doubled their money on the player, having signed him for £2.5m from Wigan in May 2006.

As for a replacement for Bullard, Hodgson said he was willing to spend before the transfer window closes on 2 February.

Meanwhile, Simon Davies has warned his Fulham team-mates against any complacency ahead of their FA Cup fourth-round clash with non-League Kettering Town tomorrow.

The midfielder said: "It's potentially a massive banana skin and we've got to be as professional as possible to get the result."