The Tigers still have work to do before the window closes for business
05:00, 22 Aug 2025
Lewis Koumas has been tracked Hull City throughout the summer
Lewis Koumas has been tracked Hull City throughout the summer(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
Hull City head coach Sergej Jakirovic has confirmed the club want to sign Liverpool youngster Lewis Koumas and Besiktas midfielder Amir Hadziahmetovic before the transfer window closes on Monday week.
Unfortunately for City, the club continues to grapple with the restrictions placed on it by the EFL, and therefore, as previously reported, can only bring in players once senior players have been allowed to move on, making those deals tough.
Winger Abu Kamara is central to bringing in another new recruit. A move to Getafe in Spain remains on the cards, but until that deal is done, neither Hadziahmetovic, Koumas, nor anyone else can be signed with City at the top of their annual wage cap limit.
Hull Live reported earlier this season that City had been in talks with the Anfield club about 19-year-old Koumas and a possible loan move for the Wales international winger, while discussions had been had with Besiktas over a temporary deal for the Bosnian.
Any deals for the duo would need significant help from the respective clubs, given City are unable to pay a loan fee, and that leaves them in danger of missing out to those clubs that are not working under such conditions and are capable of paying a sizeable amount to help entice Liverpool into doing a deal.
Jakirovic would also like to bring in added cover at the back with Semi Ajayi sidelined with a hamstring injury, and now, Akin Famewo, who will miss Saturday's meeting with Blackburn Rovers after getting a kick in training on Wednesday.
At this stage, given the shape of the squad, that seems unlikely. For now, the club are only interested in signing a midfielder and a winger before the 7pm deadline on September 1.
Jakirovic said: "It depends on who will go. If (Abu) Kamara goes, we can bring one in. He (Hadziahmetovic) is one of our options for sure. We have three options there, so we will see who will be faster. He's a number six or a number eight; he can play in the middle. Last year, he played on loan with Rizespor, and then Solskjaer called him back to Besiktas, and for four months, he played for Besiktas.
"Now he's their fourth or fifth choice in that position. I don't know the situation now because I haven't spoken with Ole (Gunnar Solskjaer). He's a very good player. He's a national team player, so he will improve the group a lot if he will come. He wants to come for sure."
On Koumas, who has been attracting plenty of Championship interest, Jakirovic was coy over the potential of that deal being concluded in the coming 10 days.
"Yes, but we will see with Liverpool," he said of Koumas. "Koumas is a very good player, a young player, with big potential, so we will see. We will see what will happen in the future."
Jakirovic also says he's relieved that the club know the outcome of their appeal against a three-window transfer fee ban, after the verdict was revealed on Tuesday, even if it wasn't the news they'd hoped for.
City's initial punishment was reduced to two windows, but if they fail to make payments on time in the next 12 months, then the third window will be triggered, meaning they cannot pay fees until January 2027.
"We are in the same spot as we have been for almost the last two months," he continued. "We must respect the decision, and that's it. This is my opinion. The EFL made their decision, and we must respect that. Maybe they took too long to make a decision, but this is the protocol, so I cannot complain.
"We made the best in this situation because, still, if we want to bring somebody, we need a green light from EFL, or somebody needs to go to bring another player. It's been the same for the last two months, so I think that we have a good, good team; we just need good health because this is the most important."
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