Hull City have just one week left to make a decision on the future of their soon-to-be out-of-contract players following the conclusion of the season.
A campaign of sheer stress and torment at least came to a positive end last weekend when City secured the point they needed to ensure they would be playing Championship football next term with a 1-1 draw at Portsmouth.
Already, attention is turning to next season and what City need to do to ensure there is no repeat of the struggles the Tigers encountered this season, and key to that will be the makeup of the squad.
One of those key decisions will centre around the future of some of the players, with a couple of those playing key roles in helping Ruben Selles’ men survive in João Pedro and Nordin Amrabat.
Four of the five whose current deals expire on June 30 have 12-month options that the club can activate, while Amrabat does not.
Who is out of contract?
Joao Pedro – City have a 12-month option
Nordin Amrabat
Callum Jones – City have a 12-month option
Brandon Fleming – City have a 12-month option
Dogukan Sinik – City have a 12-month option
What’s expected to happen?
Now they’ve survived, the only decision facing City is whether or not to activate Pedro’s 12-month option, which will be dictated by what he wants to do. Amrabat will move on, and it’s likely so too, will Callum Jones and Brandon Fleming. Sinik has not played for the first team since November 2023 and will almost certainly leave.
When is the big deadline?
EFL rules say clubs have two weeks from the end of the season to confirm their intentions to those players out of contract, which falls on the third Saturday of the month, May 17. For Sheffield United, Sunderland, Coventry City and Bristol City who are involved in the play-offs, they’re given a four-day grace period from their final outing.
What do the rules say?
“Any Club wishing to re-engage a Contract Player whose contract is due to expire on 30 June must, save as mentioned in Regulations 68.2.1 to 68.2.4 below, notify him in writing by the third Saturday in May in the final year of his contract whether or not they offer him terms of re engagement specifying (where applicable) such terms.”