City have no shortage of transfer decisions to make over the coming days and weeks
Three of Hull City’s Wembley heroes will be returning to their parent clubs at the end of this month (Image: Harvey Murphy/News Images/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Hull City are preparing for life in the Premier League after their stunning win over Middlesbrough at Wembley Stadium a little over three weeks ago.
Attention for the Tigers has now turned to the transfer market, with fans eagerly anticipating what City will do in the window which opens on Monday.
There’s an expectation that the newly-promoted Tigers will spend big over the next few weeks to give Sergej Jakirovic the best chance of keeping City in the top-flight.
Given their transfer struggles of last summer when the Tigers were hit by a three-window transfer fee restriction, later reduced to two on appeal, this summer will feel like a different world for Jared Dublin, Martin Hodge and the club’s recruitment team.
Key to last summer’s recruitment, and again in January, was making the most of the loan market, and they may well look to benefit from that area again this time around.
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Joe Gelhardt, John Lundstram, Amir Hadziahmetovic and Joel Ndala all arrived last summer, while Yu Hirakawa, Toby Collyer and Lewis Koumas were added in January. Ndala, who arrived from Manchester City, saw his loan deal cancelled, and he finished the campaign on loan with relegated Sheffield Wednesday.
Gelhardt was arguably the pick of the performers in another terrific spell at the MKM Stadium, scoring 15 goals and registering six assists in his league and cup 44 games, while Koumas netted three times in the second half of the season. Hirakawa’s wonderful cross in the final helped fashion Oli McBurnie’s winning goal, adding to a fine delivery for McBurnie to score in the impressive win at PNE on his debut.
For Collyer, his sole start against Coventry City showed significant promise, but injury robbed him and the Tigers of a player with obvious quality.
After picking up an injury early in the season, Lundstram was largely a bit-part performer, starting just 16 games in the regular campaign, with his sole goal coming in the impressive win over Southampton back in September. Amir Hadziahmetovic, in his first campaign in English football, turned out 37 times for the club, picking up three assists.
Here’s a look at those who finished the season with City and will be heading back to their parent clubs at the end of the month…
Joe Gelhardt
Played: 44
Total minutes: 3,041
Yu Hirakawa
Played: 10
Total minutes: 381
John Lundstram
Played: 34
Total minutes: 1,663
Lewis Koumas
Played: 19
Total minutes: 714
Amir Hadziahmetovic
Played: 41
Total minutes: 2,311
Toby Collyer
Played: 5
Total minutes: 104
Should the Tigers look to strike permanent deals for any of their loanees? Have your say using the widget below…