Kasey Palmer has emerged as a target on what Hull City hope will be a busy deadline day for them.
Despite having a new coach this summer eager to implement a radical change of style, the Tigers have been slow out of the blocks in adding fresh blood to a squad which has lost a remarkable 22 first-team players once returning loanees are added in.
But Gustavo Puerta, Oscar Zambrano, Chris Bedia, Mason Burstow, Charlie Hughes and Finley Burns have joined Liam Millar, Marvin Mehlem, Cody Drameh and Anthony Racioppi since the season started, and in addition to Coventry City’s attacking midfielder Palmer, they are looking to add a goalkeeper, two wingers and a striker on deadline day.
Hull have drawn all three league matches this season, scoring and conceding twice. They were knocked out of the FA Cup by Sheffield Wednesday.
Palmer, who had two loan spells with Huddersfield Town when in Chelsea’s academy, has a year left on his Sky Blues contract, and Hull were reported to have made a move on Thursday.
The 27-year-old has been a substitute for the first three games of the Championship season, scoring against Bristol City. He was the victim of racist abuse during a January FA Cup tie at Sheffield Wednesday. The Owls quickly apologised and banned the fan concerned.
Hull had shown interest in Jonas Meffert, who plays for coach Tim Walter’s last club Hamburg, but have met with stubborn resistance thus far.
Fulham’s Jay Stansfield was a target at centre-forward, where Hull are one light after the departure of Oscar Estupinan, but reports in the Midlands talk of a bid of “£9m-10m” from League One Birmingham City for their former loanee. It is hard to see Hull being able to compete with that without breaking finanical fair play rules, never mind wanting to.
For Palmer, or indeed anyone else, to be eligible to face Leeds United at Elland Road on Saturday, he would have to be registered by noon on Friday. Clubs have until 11pm to make signings who can feature in the remainder of 2024.
The only exception is free agents, which probably explains why with so much business to do, Hull’s signing of Liam Cooper appears to have been put on the backburner. The Hull-born centre-back, who started his professional career with the club, was pictured in the stands during last Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Millwall.
Unable to agree a new contract with Leeds over the summer, he has not played since a 32-minute pre-European Championship run-out for Scotland in Gibraltar at the start of June, and last started a game at Easter. He was, though, part of his country’s Euro 2024 squad, training with them in Germany.
Regardless of whether he signs before or after Friday’s deadlines, Cooper will surely require some time to get up to match fitness.
Hull have been quite open about the fact that there has been interest in fellow centre-back Sean McLoughlin, who has played every minute of their Championship season, and that it if they receive a bid, it will be up to him whether he leaves but despite much talk, it does not appear to have reached that stage yet. Blackburn Rovers are the most likely to change that.
Hughes and Burns are both central defenders.
Related topics:TigersLiam CooperHuddersfield Town
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