Adil Boulbina looks to be on the verge of sealing a move to Qatar, despite Hull City lodging an offer to buy the highly-rated Algerian winger.
Boulbina has been tracked by City for a number of months and the Tigers had hoped to lure the in-form 22-year-old to the MKM Stadium this summer and see him link up with compatriot and close friend Mohamed Belloumi.
Unfortunately for City, it looks like Boulbina will sign for Al-Duhail after they agreed a fee with his club Paradou AC and offered a significant salary. The forward, who has bagged 18 goals and seven assists in 25 league outings this season, was expected in Doha over the weekend to complete the formalities of his switch.
City haven’t given up hope of snapping up the exciting player, but it’s understood Paradou’s preference is to sell to Al-Duhail and the financial package on offer.
Elsewhere, City hope to make progress in their quest to sign striker Oliver McBurnie this week, with the former Sheffield United man still a top target.
Signing McBurnie is viewed as a significant signing this summer both in terms of what he can bring to the squad, but also show of ambition in their bid to bolster what was the league’s worst attacking unit last season.
Mahir Emreli is a target and could prove to be a useful free transfer option should a deal for McBurnie not get done. City are extremely cautious about sealing a deal for the Scotland forward, especially given how close they were to bringing in Kieffer Moore 12 months ago, only to lose him to Sheffield United when they expected the Wales international to jet out to their pre-season training camp in Turkey.
Matija Frigan is another player the club would like to sign, but it will depend on being able to strike a tough financial deal. Arbër Hoxha is also available from Jakirovic’s former club Dinamo Zagreb. Both players are targets of the manager, with owner Acun Ilicali keen to support the new head coach where possible.
Şanlıurfaspor forward Uchenna Ogundu is another on the radar. The 19-year-old Nigerian bagged six goals in 16 starts in the Turkish Super Lig last term and is under contract until 2027.
Defender Semi Ajayi, the 31-year-old Nigerian defender who left West Brom at the end of the season, is expected to be another arrival in the near future. The terms of his free transfer move to the MKM Stadium are thought to be close.
Moving players out is also a key aim to free up space both in the dressing room and wage bill, so it’s expected there could be more departures to follow on from Xavier Simons move to Bolton Wanderers on Thursday afternoon.
Goalkeeper Timothee Lo-Tutala is wanted by Doncaster Rovers once again. The South Yorkshire club are looking to bolster their ranks after Grant McCann guided them to promotion. His exit would see City bring in further cover to their ranks.
Teddy Sharman-Lowe impressed at Rovers last season on loan from Chelsea, but he’s linked up with Simons at Bolton ahead of the new campaign, and McCann is keen to add to his goalkeeping unit.
Lo-Tutala has been at the Eco-Power Stadium previously and is understood to be close to confirming a season-long loan move back to Rovers.
Matty Jacob is another courting interest this summer and is widely expected to move on, having struggled to pin down regular football at City. Bolton were one of the clubs chasing his signature, along with a club in Switzerland. The Trotters’ League One rivals Reading are the latest to throw their hat in the ring to sign the left-back on a permanent deal, and that could be tied up early next week.
Interest remains from abroad in midfield duo Steven Alzate and Gustavo Puerta, but it’s believed nothing is close when it comes to both of those players potentially leaving.
While prepared to sanction their respective exits for the right fee, City would be loath to let either move on until they’ve brought in cover.
As reported last week, Lewis O’Brien remains a key target on loan from Nottingham Forest, but the Tigers face a battle to make that deal happen with a host of other Championship rivals.
Signing a left-back will be important if, as expected, Jacob moves on, given the uncertainty surrounding the future of Ryan Giles, which is likely to rumble on. The club are in talks with a possible loanee over a move to bolster their squad in that area.
Portsmouth would love to re-sign Abu Kamara, but it remains to be seen if City would sanction his departure in the coming weeks, just a year after spending in the region of £4.5m to sign him from Norwich City.
Another key decision facing Jakirovic will be what he does with those players who spent the remaining weeks of the season out on loan: Marvin Mehlem, Anthony Racioppi, Giles, amongst others, all need to have their futures decided in the coming weeks. Abdus Omur is widely expected to complete a permanent move back to Turkey, too.
Talks remain ongoing over doing a deal for Oscar Zambrano, but given he cannot play again until November, the need to push that on is not quite so important. The Ecuador youngster can only train privately and will not be allowed to return to full training until his ban is lifted.
City’s squad will also be boosted by the return of Liam Millar and Mohamed Belloumi, while Eliot Matazo is expected back around Christmastime.
While wholesale change at the MKM Stadium is not expected, certainly compared to last summer, there’s still likely to be significant comings and goings to ensure the Tigers do not have a repeat of last term.
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