Tigers Transfer Talk: New Hull City boss Leonid Slutsky takes on a HUGE challenge

This week's round-up of Hull City's news and rumours includes the appointment of a new manager and the loss of a key defender.

Leonid Slutsky

Sunday 4^th June

According to The Sun, WBA manager is weighing up a move for City midfielder Sam Clucas. He’s a player I’d be devastated to lose being perhaps the player of the year last season, contracted for another two years and the heartbeat of a re-built side. That said, I couldn’t argue that he deserves to be playing in the Premier League.

Monday 5^th June

Angel

Former CSKA Moscow and Russia manager Leonid Slutsky is the choice to take over as manager of The Tigers and a deal is imminent say TheTelegraph and most other newspapers. Slutsky rescued Russia’s failing qualification campaign for Euro 2016 but resigned after a poor tournament. He’d been doing the job in conjunction with his job at CSKA where he managed for seven years, winning three league titles.

The same article talks about the problems facing Slutsky if/when he is appointed mentioning that WBA and Stoke are both interested in Sam Clucas and also Harry Maguire.

West London Sport link QPR with Real Zaragoza’s Spanish striker Angel. The 30 year-old is out of contract and available for free. His scoring record is unimpressive over his career but close to one in two games for Zaragoza in the last seasons. According to the local paper, Hull City, Reading and Aston Villa are also watching the player.

Tuesday 6^th June

The usually terrible HITC claim four Premier League teams want goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic. Leicester, Crystal Palace, Watford and Swansea are said to be preparing moves for another player City would be very careless to lose.

Twitter account "Hull_City_News" spotted an exclusive story as Curtis Davies’ brother tweeted that he was about to “become a Ram” or move to Derby County. The tweet was later deleted but the news was out there.

Wednesday 7^th June

Curtis Davies joined Derby County for an officially undisclosed fee said to be around £500,000 and the result of a release clause in his contract after relegation. Davies is 32 years-old but an experienced and capable Championship defender. If City had options in that area, it wouldn’t be so bad but with a major rebuild required (see below) it’s a departure we could have done without.

On the heels of Davies joining Derby, The Irish Sun claim Tom Huddlestone also has a release clause in his contract set at just £2m and WBA (them again) are interested in taking him. 

The level of rebuild required at Hull City

Get West London include The Tigers in another QPR story suggesting the Rs are set to beat City, Brentford and Watford in the “race” (it’s always a race) for Millwall’s Fred Onyedinma. The Nigerian born winger is out of contract but as he is only 20 years-old, would command a fee.

Friday 9^th June

Hull City finally appointed Leonid Slutsky as manager a week after it became clear he was the choice of the Allams to replace Marco Silva. Slutsky becomes the first Russian to manage in English football earning £15,000 a week which will more than double if City are promoted back to the Premier League. He’s got a hell of a job to do but it is a welcome high-profile appointment and has been made in plenty of time to allow him to settle in ahead of pre-season.

A story on the Daily Mail website links City and Middlesbrough with Scotland defender Charlie Mulgrew. The former Celtic centre-half was relegated with Blackburn last season. He takes a hell of a free-kick but is otherwise an average defender.

Three players City have previously had an interest in are on the market according to the news today. Rangers’ Josh Windass is set to leave the club after just one season in Scotland. He joined them on a free transfer from Accrington but will command a good fee despite not really impressing.

Brighton are willing to let midfielder Oliver Norwood leave. He was linked with City after an impressive Euro 2016 with Northern Ireland but instead joined Brighton from Reading and spent last season warming the bench as the Seagulls were promoted to the Premier League.

And last but never least, Fraizer Campbell is available on a free transfer after been released by Crystal Palace. City have been linked with him 3,256,798 times since his loan spell in 2007/08. We’d all have him back … right?