Hull set for deadline-day trolley dash for six signings
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While the majority of the Premier League watched open-mouthed as Hull, and their 13 fully-fit squad members, took six points from the first three games, caretaker manager Mike Phelan never got carried away.
The long-time assistant manager was acutely aware of the Tigers’ need for additional bodies if they were to maintain their headline-grabbing form.
After each outing the 53-year-old told post-match press of his urgent need to add to the squad. A grand total of three substitutions in 270 minutes of football helped prove his point.
Finally, with less than 48 hours to go in the summer transfer window, someone has applied the defibrillators to Hull’s flat lining activity.
No less than six players have been linked with switches to the KCOM Stadium in recent gossip columns.
Young Manchester United striker Will Keane is one of them, while another front man – Bristol City’s Jonathan Kodjia – is also wanted by Championship pair Aston Villa and Derby.
A loan deal for Southampton’s Jay Rodriguez, which was first thought to be a West Brom brainchild, is also reportedly on the cards. That capture would certainly be considered a coup should the England international rediscover his goal scoring form of 2013/14.
With the Tigers’ own Abel Hernandez the subject of £20m-worth of interest from Aston Villa it could be that Phelan needs all three to replace the Uruguayan.
In central midfield, last season’s play-off victors want to add Ryan Mason to their former Tottenham fraternity.
Tom Huddlestone, Jake Livermore – two of three centre-circle dwellers available to Phelan – and Michael Dawson have all been successes since leaving north London and Mason will certainly look to follow suit after falling out of favour at White Hart Lane.
In addition, Derby’s Jeff Hendrick, who impressed for the Republic of Ireland at Euro 2016, could be a £10m arrival, while it remains to be seen whether former West Ham man Ravel Morrison really will make an English return from Lazio.
Should all those names arrive before the deadline passes, the Tigers will at least have a fighting chance of securing top-flight survival, at a price of 3/4.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
