The ambitious Tigers signed five players towards the back end of the month but enjoyed a quiet deadline day
Hull City’s Lewis Koumas celebrates with Kyle Joseph(Image: Martin Rickett/PA Wire)
It’s been another fascinating month for Hull City, who have been working under a fee restriction for the second consecutive transfer window.
Those restrictions, which were imposed in the summer, have now been lifted, meaning the Tigers will be able to trade normally from the summer.
Despite being unable to pay a transfer or loan fee, the club have been able to strike five crucial deals to give them what they hope will be the final push towards promotion.
The acid test of any transfer window surrounds the strength of the squad and the question that asks ‘Is it stronger at the end than it was at the beginning’, and in City’s case, as it was in the summer, is unequivocally yes.
If there was any doubt around that, which I’m not sure there was in reality, any questions were answered after 81 minutes at Ewood Park on Saturday when Lewis Koumas stepped off the bench to score the winning goal against Blackburn Rovers.
Koumas had only arrived at the back end of last week, along with Toby Collyer and Paddy McNair, but made an instant impact with a terrific finish in front of a big away following. His wonderful pass in behind for Kyle Joseph almost saw him claim a fine assist.
Kieran Dowell, who arrived on a free from Rangers, penning an 18-month contract, should have announced his arrival at Ewood Park with a goal, blazing over from close range, but his arrival ends two years of trying to get him.
Yu Hirakawa has been another impressive addition to the squad, with his arrival being the first. Like Koumas, his impact was quick, coming off the bench to create a chance for Oli McBurnie to score at Preston North End.
City strengthened their attacking ranks well, and that was the main theme of the month. Trying to add to the quality already in the squad, with McBurnie, Kyle Joseph, Joe Gelhardt and Liam Millar as their front-line attackers.
Adding more wide options became a key focus after Mo Belloumi suffered his latest hamstring injury on Boxing Day at Sheffield Wednesday, and while David Akintola and Joel Ndala have enjoyed moments of success, the desire to secure Championship experience was viewed as crucial.
That’s something Hirakawa and Koumas both have, and both have already shown why the club were so keen to bring them in. Collyer, when he’s fully fit, will add a further layer of cover in midfield, especially with Matt Crooks the latest to fall victim to the ongoing injury curse.
Enis Destan, Kasey Palmer and Joel Ndala were sacrificed with City keen to raise the level needed to challenge for a place in the Premier League.
Bringing in a goalkeeper was a primary target earlier in the window, with Seny Dieng close to a move. After discussions with the EFL around budgets, it was decided that it was less of a priority, and they moved away from that deal, opting to stick with Ivor Pandur and Dillon Phillips.
The Tigers also looked at bringing in another midfielder, but snapped up the chance to sign Collyer from Manchester United, having missed out on him in the summer, as they did with Koumas. Other targets were considered, but the youngster was deemed the right profile and affordable by Jakirovic, who played his part.
Crucially, keeping key players was also as important as bringing in new faces. Acun Ilicali explained in his pre-Christmas address that the club may need to sell if the price was right. Nothing of note came in for Charlie Hughes or Ivor Pandur, while Leeds United did not exercise their recall option on Gelhardt and then sell him on.
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Ipswich Town’s desire to bring in John Egan with a view to supporting his longer-term coaching ambitions with Kieran McKenna thankfully came to nothing, with Jakirovic steadfast in his belief to keep him. Wrexham tried for Egan in the summer, but that didn’t materialise again in the winter.
The quality of the business City have been able to do would have been solid and impressive had they been able to trade normally, but to do it without being able to pay a loan or transfer fee is quite something.
Ilicali says the club worked their ‘magic’ once again, and it’s hard to argue. They did that in the summer with McBurnie and Gelhardt, and have done so again.
It does have the hallmarks of two years ago, when the Tigers snapped up Fabio Carvalho and Anass Zaroury in a bid to get them over the line. While they may not have signed such high-profile performers this time around, the acquisitions have been smart and will provide good balance and cover to what’s already a strong starting XI.
The squad at their disposal, coupled with Jakirovic’s ability to knit things together and improve players, means the Tigers are in a much, much stronger position now than they were at the turn of the year, and that’s all you can ever ask.
Jakirovic’s challenge now is to keep up the terrific form his side have shown all season, and ensure the new arrivals have supplemented what they’ve got, and given it the little boost needed for the final stretch.
Despite being under the restrictions they have been under, their collective work in the summer and January feels as good as it has been at any point in recent seasons.
This season continues to feel different, to feel like it could end in something life-changing, and while the outside world may not shower City in praise for their window dressing this month, it’s been smart, sensible, and may yet prove the difference come early May.