The Tigers will likely face one of their quietest windows of the Acun Ilicali era next month
Sergej Jakirovic has revealed he would like another goalkeeper and creative player added to his Hull City squad when the January transfer window opens on New Year’s Day.
Jakirovic is keen to bolster his squad ready for the second half of the season as City go in search of maintaining a push for the play-offs, though he admits the club’s transfer restrictions present obvious challenges.
For the second consecutive transfer window, City will be unable to pay fees for permanent deals or loans and will therefore rely on help from other clubs after being slapped with a three-window fee restriction, which was later reduced to two on appeal, with the third suspended.
City used that goodwill from elsewhere to good effect in the summer, striking deals for the likes of Joe Gelhardt, Joel Ndala and Darko Gyabi, and they’ll hope to again.
Much will depend on whether players are moved out in January, which will free up space in their squad, with Jakirovic primed for interest in goalkeeper Ivor Pandur after he was called up to the Croatian squad for the first time last month.
One thing Jakirovic was keen to stress around the January shopping was that only players capable of adding to and improving the squad will be considered.
“Maybe we can swap some positions, but again, everything does not depend on us,” he told Hull Live when asked where plans were at. “I said to Jared (Dublin) that if someone will go or we will sell someone – I don’t know that this is a question for the Chairman – then we have to be ready to replace those players.
“That’s all of our communication because I don’t even know how this is working when you have a transfer embargo, and your hands are tied.
“We will see, but if we can bring someone who will improve this team, I’m happy with that, not just that we can swap the players because we are swapping, no (for the sake of it). We only want those who can improve this team, then he is welcome.
“I would like to have one player in every line. If you lose (Ryan) Giles, you don’t have a replacement. We can put Akin (Famewo) there, but Akin is another type of player. He’s more of a centre-back or in a three.
“Maybe a goalkeeper. Maybe a goalkeeper between Ivor (Pandur) and Dillon (Phillips) to give more competition. If we sell Ivor, I don’t know that because he’s now on the national team. He has a very big chance to go to the World Cup, so maybe we’ll get some offers for him. We have to be ready for that.”
City have struggled to find a regular in the number 10 position this season, with Matt Crooks, Darko Gyabi and Joe Gelhardt all playing in that position, so the club are eyeing a potential move in that department.
As revealed by Hull Live last month, discussions had been held about a stunning deal to try and strike terms to bring Fabio Carvalho back to the MKM Stadium, but the Portuguese has suffered an ACL injury, so that’s no longer possible.
City have other options in that area of the pitch, and are keen to add more firepower to supplement Oli McBurnie, Kyle Joseph, Enis Destan and Gelhardt. “Also, in the middle,” he added. “The number 10 position, if it’s possible to get somebody. This is just my thinking.”
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