Lincoln details Jose Mourinho conversation as he mulls over Hull City future

January signing Lincoln admits he would love to stay at Hull City beyond the end of the season, and says he wishes there were more than five games of the season left.

The Brazilian says he's loving life in East Yorkshire after swapping the Bosphorus for the Humber, with his family firmly settled into East Yorkshire life after a hectic move from Turkish giants Fenerbahce in the notoriously challenging winter window.

Lincoln's move from Istanbul to the MKM Stadium was a straight loan with no option to buy, though given owner Acun Ilicali's vice-presidential role at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium, striking a potential deal for the 26-year-old could be a little more straightforward.

After Jose Mourinho could not promise regular football with Fenerbahce, Lincoln said he had other offers, but the chance to come and play in England with City was the best decision he could have made for both his career and family.

For now, Lincoln hopes to play a key part in keeping City in the Championship and the potential of making a full home debut against Coventry City on Monday, with his two starts so far both coming away from home at Cardiff City and on Tuesday night in the defeat at Watford.

"Life is good, and the city is good," he told Hull Live. "I like a city like this; it's calm, and my family is happy. My son is happy, and he has started to go to school. It's only been a short time, but they are very happy to be here, very happy to stay in the club, this big club with amazing fans. The players also have quality with good staff, and for me, it is very good. It's like family, a second family. It's like Istanbul, like Brazil. It's good.

"For me, it was the best decision," he said of his move from the Turkish Super Lig to the Championship. "I had other offers, but I think it's the best decision for me. I talked one or two times with Acun; I talked to my family; for me, it's important to be here. It's not about the first position, the last position, for me it's the best decision. I like this club, and I like my friends and my teammates; this is more important.

"I asked Acun (about the club), I think one time I was on holiday, and the other time was in Istanbul. I went to Fener and we talked maybe for 10 minutes in one meeting. He asked if I'd like to go to Hull City and if I wanted to speak to Joao Pedro, so I spoke to him, and he had only good things to say about the club and the city. He did say that the league is very strong and intensive and that the team is of high quality.

"More important than anything was speaking to my family and making sure they were happy, and they were, we made the decision together. That was important, and they want to be here."

Having Joao Pedro already in the camp has been a big help to Lincoln when it comes to settling into the club and around the area, which he says is helpful.

"For me it's good because Joao is a big, big player. I talked to him one time before I came here. Joao is a big player, but we have a lot of good players here, too much quality. The team has too much quality, and every player is competitive. Training is hard to get to play in the games."

Moving in January can be littered with logistical issues, let alone when you're dragging a young family from Turkey to Europe, having been back in Brazil, and while he says it's been tough, his family are dealing with it well.

"It's difficult for my kids' school," he continued. "I came to Brazil, and in Brazil, the season finished in December, and I went on holiday. Then, one month later, I went to Fenerbahce, and after that, I came here. Because of that, my son doesn't go to school for two or three months. In Europe, it's difficult because it's the middle of the season in December, but in Brazil, the season starts in January, so it's difficult for my kids. This is my job, and it's for my kids.

"This is my job, and it's for my kids. I don't know about tomorrow. If possible, I stay here because I'm very happy. It doesn't depend on me or my agenda."

Lincoln says that after having conversations with Mourinho in January, it became clear that his game time would be limited, and therefore opted to seek a move away.

"I talked to Mourinho on one occasion," he explained. "He made it clear to me that I could stay, but he couldn't guarantee that I would play too much or play in every game. For me, it was clear; I said no, I want to be where I can train well and play, a team that believes in me and my quality, one that believes in Lincoln.

"After this conversation, Acun asked me if I wanted to go to Hull City. I came here and it's amazing. I had other options, but this was the best decision for me. It's a good team, a good, very strong league, and I'm very happy to be here."

What the future will be for Lincoln and his teammates remains unclear, given City's Championship status remains firmly up in the air, but he's certainly open to a longer stay.

"We have only five games, but I don't know about tomorrow. I don't know if it's possible for us to stay here. I'm very happy to stay because I came here for only a short period of time, just three months. It's like a warm-up. After you warm up, the league is finished, so I don't know about tomorrow. If possible, I'd be very happy to stay because my family and I are happy here. In my mind, at the moment, the only thing I'm thinking about is the five games and winning the five games. I know it's difficult, but that's what's on my mind."