Liverpool And Manchester City In Transfer Talk To Land Outstanding Young Hull City Key Man In January Transfer Windows
The Tigers have put together one of the most exciting sides in the Championship
What’s that saying about not falling in love with loan players? Well, in the case of Hull City, it’s been hard not to do just that with England Under-21 duo Tyler Morton and Liam Delap, while Scott Twine has been very good and Ruben Vinagre has already been taken to Tigers hearts.
There are some groups of players at clubs that are more likeable than others, and at City, Liam Rosenior has put together a group of intensely likeable individuals and ones that you can’t help but feel a greater sense of desperation to see them do well.
In the case of Delap and Morton, the two youngsters have been a breath of fresh air around the club’s training ground at Cottingham and the MKM Stadium. Their performances have been steadily improving and they’ve certainly looked well at home in the black and amber.
Twelve months or so ago, Rosenior was speaking about transfer work and in particular, his willingness to make loan signings, but with the added caveat that anyone arriving at City was not just here to play games, it was with a view to a longer-term deal however that looked.
The prospect of signing Delap and Morton on longer-term deals may well seem fanciful to some, given their talent has caused significant excitement at Manchester City and Liverpool respectively.
Twine and Vinagre’s situation is different to that of Delap and Morton in that the former is 24 and faces a bigger decision come the summer, while the Portuguese defender is seemingly on his way out of Sporting Lisbon next summer whether that’s to City or somebody else.
To hear Rosenior talk so openly and with no shortage of confidence about the possibility of keeping all four beyond the summer shows where City are at, where their thinking is and their level of ambition. He talks about the way in which the loanees have integrated, have bought into the Tigers ethos and have made themselves at home.
In reality, Delap’s chances of making the grade at Manchester City are limited. He will likely go on to have a brilliant career in the Premier League, but it probably won’t be with the current Premier League and European champions, such is the level they’re operating at, and their plethora of attacking talent. That firmly opens the door to the Tigers.
Morton has every chance of being in Jurgen Klopp’s setup at Anfield, but has spoken about his realism and knowing he may have to look elsewhere to play regularly. Like Delap, however, Morton will go on to have a stellar career in the top flight. To think City could have them for more than one season is something to be genuinely excited by. That respective door is slightly more than ajar.
If that were to happen, it means either they’ve won promotion to the Premier League or have come excruciatingly close and will be able to keep those players for the following campaign.
To be even having these conversations shows the terrific progress City are making, the esteem with which they’re held elsewhere, and importantly, by the players in their own dressing room who are communicating with peers and prospective new recruits.
Even if City were to lose their quartet of loanees, you’d feel confident there wou;e be suitable replacements lined up to come in, and that’s hugely heartening. For now, however, Rosenior, Acun Ilicali, Tan Kesler and the rest of the club’s recruitment team should be doing everything within their power to negotiate longer-term deals.
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