Sky Sports commentator Don Goodman has expressed his concern over Hull City’s current plight.
After surviving relegation last season by the tightest of margins and sacking their head coach Ruben Selles, the Tigers were slapped with a transfer fee restriction by the English Football League amid fears over the club’s financial situation. Embargoes issued over outstanding transfer payments were lifted after those debts were settled and City have appealed the EFL verdict but, as things stand, they can only sign free transfers and loan players where there is no fee attached. The sanction remains in place until the end of the summer 2026 transfer window.
It means City have so far only added goalkeeper Dillon Phillips and centre-back Semi Ajayi to their ranks ahead of the 2025/26 Championship season. Deals for Reda Laalaoui and Gustavo Puerta are on hold for the time being because of the fee restriction situation.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Goodman said: “I’d be very concerned if I were a Hull City fan now having to hear about the financial deadlines that are being missed and transfer embargoes being applied. Particularly when you add into all of that, the head coach merry-go round, I mean, they went a bit left field at the start of last season, didn’t they? And it failed miserably.
“So to do the same again is very strange. Ultimately, if this theme of changing head coaches continues, I’d be worried! In Ruben Selles’ case, it was strange really, because he did what he was brought in to do, which was to keep them in the Championship and by the skin of their teeth, they did that. So you would have thought he would have been given a full pre-season with a new squad of players to get some ideas across. So it’s concerning.
“And all of that is a little bit of a recipe for disaster if you ask me. They avoided relegation on the last day of last season. That was courtesy of Luton losing to West Bromwich Albion. So if you’re a Hull City fan, I’d be a little bit concerned at this moment.”
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