Hull City’s final day survival has given the Tigers a chance to build over the summer and ensure next season is an awful lot more positive than the one they’ve just gone through.
Key to what happens next term will be City‘s business in the transfer market. It’s imperative that the Tigers strengthen in the top third of the pitch after ending the season as the league’s lowest scorers.
The Tigers will need to be frugal in the market after the expenditure of last summer, and so looking to exploit the situation of those three clubs relegated below them could be an astute move.
Luton Town, Plymouth Argyle and Cardiff City may have fallen through the Championship’s relegation trapdoor, but there are players in those squads that will be attractive to clubs like the Tigers.
Here’s a look at those players who could make a positive difference…
Callum O’Dowda – Cardiff City, left-back, aged 30
Republic of Ireland international, who can play on the wing or in defence, was a regular at Oxford United and Bristol City before joining Cardiff in 2022 and closing in on 100 appearances, and was a major target in January for City before the Bluebirds hierarchy pulled the plug on the deal.
Missed most of 2023/24 due to injuries but no one played more for Cardiff in 2024/25 as he demonstrated natural athleticism. His sister Jade O’Dowda is a heptathlete international for England.
Former boss Omer Riza told WalesOnline recently: “He is a great character, well spoken, articulate, a standout performer, good with the youngsters and seniors, good with the staff, does his community stuff. He is captain material.
“It’s important to always lead by example on the pitch, and he does that. His injuries have left him in a position where he hasn’t played as much as he would have liked, but this season he has been robust. Off the pitch, he handles himself in a dignified manner and is very respectful.
“He takes his time to think about what he wants to say. He takes his time when he’s absorbing what you’re telling him. He’s quite a deep character, but I’ve got on well with him from the minute I walked in through the door.”
Carlton Morris – Luton Town, striker, aged 29
The Luton captain hasn’t found the net so frequently in 2024/25 but he scored 11 in the Premier League last year and 20 as the Hatters went up before that. He was a handful for Barnsley in the Championship for the two previous seasons too.
Former Luton boss Rob Edwards said: “His goals were influential but whenever I spoke about him it was his all-round game and what he brought to the team, whether it was hold-up play, work-rate, headers, defensive headers in his own box from corners. It was everything that he gave the team, as well as the goal threat.”
Maksym Talovierov – Plymouth Argyle, centre-back, aged 24
Became Plymouth’s record signing when he joined from Austrian club LASK Linz late in January, with a reported fee of about £1.7m. Was superb in 11 appearances, scoring twice, before a knee injury derailed his season and Argyle’s hopes of staying up.
Pilgrims boss Miron Muslic said: “Maksym is a commanding presence who will add height and physicality to the side, but he is also good on the ball and technically good. Most importantly, he is a good defender.”
Yousef Salech – Cardiff City, striker, aged 23
The 6ft 5ins striker scored nine times in 22 games after joining from Swedish club Sirius in January for a fee believed to be between £3-4m.
Cardiff caretaker Aaron Ramsey said this week: “There’s always going to be interest in players of his quality. That’s part of football. He showed again what he’s capable of doing. He’s a fantastic player and he’s only going to get better.
“Some of the goals he’s scored, and it’s not just that, it’s what he does off the ball, that effort he puts in is not to be sniffed at. He’s a serious player who’s only going to get better.”
Ryan Hardie – Plymouth Argyle, forward, aged 28
Former Steven Schumacher favourite scored 10 league goals as Plymouth went down, which makes it double figures in each of his last four seasons between the Championship and League One, and we know how City could have done with somebody to get double figures.
PlymouthLive wrote: “Hardie netted only twice up until the end of January but he was moved to a number 10 role after Miron Muslic succeeded Wayne Rooney as head coach and the goals started to flow for him again.
“Argyle’s player-of-the-year is under contract to the Pilgrims until the end of the 2025/26 season but after their relegation, and given his form of late, speculation about other clubs wanting to sign him this summer is inevitable.”
Thelo Aasgaard – Luton Town, midfielder, aged 23
Luton had the cash to outmuscle Championship rivals when they swooped for Aasgaard from Wigan for about £3m in January and the Liverpool-born Norway midfielder proved a central figure as they found form which made staying up a realistic prospect.
Matt Bloomfield told The Luton News recently: “Thelo has been fantastic for us, he’s been a real good investment for our football club, I believe he’s going to go on and have a top career. He’s going to be a top player, I’ve said it for a number of years in League One that he can make the step up.
“Athletically, he was running away from people as well, which is not easy to do when you step up the level. He’s going to be a top player, and I hope he’s going to be here for many years too and help drive this club forward. He’s a player of considerable football intelligence.
“He’s really spatially aware, he knows when he needs to bump a player and protect the ball, he knows when he’s got a minute to do his magic and get away from someone. He’s been a top performer in the division below, he’s played in this division before and I have real belief that he will go and step up. He’s a boy that we believe can have a real big future for us. We can’t heap too much on him, but on the evidence, he’s doing just fine.”
Thomas Kaminski – Luton Town, goalkeeper, aged 32
Signed for Luton from Blackburn in the summer of 2023 and has been a regular since then. Kaminski has just won Luton’s Player of the Season.
At 32, the Belgian still has plenty of years left and that may be an area for depth this summer. Thimothee Lo-Tutala has not played a Championship game and was back-up for Ivor Pandur from the moment Carl Rushworth returned to Brighton and Hove Albion. What happens with Anthony Racioppi will also be crucial.
Mustapha Bundu – Plymouth Argyle, forward, aged 28
Out of contract this summer, the powerful forward scored 11 goals in all competitions in 2024/25 and set up another seven and will be attracting no shortage of interest.
Muslic told PlymouthLive: “On a personal level I think he was brilliant. I have a reputation of being capable to develop players, and his development the last four months was outstanding, even today. I think Mustapha Bundu has qualities and you know my opinion about him.”
Callum Robinson – Cardiff City, striker, aged 30
Former England youth international who plays for Republic of Ireland at senior level has spent the last two-and-a-half seasons with Cardiff, scoring 12 times in 2024/25 – although 11 were before he signed a new long-term contract late in January.
Has spent most of the last decade in the Championship, also playing for Preston and West Brom, while he was Sheffield United’s record signing at one point. Has played as a centre-forward or in a wider role, and scored the winner against City back in early February.
Former Ireland boss Stephen Kenny said: “He is a very versatile and very creative player; quite intelligent with the positions he takes up and the decisions he makes.”
RTE commentator John Anderson told The Athletic: “You wouldn’t say he’s played as an orthodox centre-forward or an orthodox wide man (for Ireland) — he’s just drifted and dragged people around to find space.”