Hull City will hope for Sheffield United style impact from signing bringing much-needed quality | OneFootball

John Lundstram will bring plenty of Championship quality and experience to Hull's midfield

Hull City supporters were fearing the worst following the imposition of a three-window transfer restriction fee by the EFL, but it has enabled the club to source some rather effective incomings.

The Tigers are still waiting to learn the full extent of their punishment at present. But, that hasn't stopped new head coach Sergej Jakirovic, alongside sporting director Jared Dublin and fellow new head of recruitment, Martin Hodge, from covering all bases when it comes to new signings.

Being forced to utilise the free agent market could also be viewed as a blessing in disguise, as, in truth, not many of City's big-money or high-profile signings have been immediate or long-term successes throughout Acun Ilicali's three-and-a-half-year reign as owner.

One of those set to move to the MKM Stadium as a result is the experienced John Lundstram. If the 31-year-old is able to replicate his prior form at Sheffield United and Rangers, the East Yorkshire side could land a major coup and resolve a long-standing issue when it comes to the middle of the park.

John Lundstram's prior success with Sheffield United could aid Hull City's Championship prospects

Despite not featuring in the EFL for the past five years, Lundstram is still somewhat regarded as a household name, largely down to his spells with Oxford United and subsequently at Bramall Lane.

After racking up 14 appearances at second-tier level on loan at Yeovil Town from Everton over a decade ago, the combative midfielder was handed a major breakthrough in the division by Chris Wilder back in 2017, having previously worked alongside each other at the Kassam Stadium.

During United's first season back in the Championship for six years, Lundstram made 36 league appearances - 21 of which were from the start - registering six goal contributions whilst also showcasing his midfield steel, before being limited to just 10 appearances in the entirety of the Blades' promotion-winning season of 2018/19.

Regardless of such setbacks, the Liverpudlian, much like many of his teammates, proved the array of doubters wrong in the Premier League - backed up by a tally of five goals, three assists as well as respectable numbers in other departments for a newly-promoted side.

A somewhat similar trend continued upon his move to Ibrox, having struggled initially under Giovanni van Bronckhorst despite some major contributions as the Gers made the UEFA Europa League final, before eventually coming to life under Phillipe Clement.

And, whilst some sections of the Hull support have urged the hierarchy to swerve transfers associated with the Turkish Süper Lig, the same cannot be said for the man who spent last season with seventh-placed Trabzonspor.

City have gone through a back catalogue of central midfield options in recent times, and whilst some of those have become cult heroes, such as Jean Michael Seri, there has been a school of thought that the Tigers have lacked real bite in the middle of the park, which has made it too easy for opponents to play through the thirds rather quickly - especially last term.

There were instances in the recent pre-season victory over Stockport County in which the advanced Kasey Palmer and Matt Crooks were moved into deeper roles for periods alongside Regan Slater, and this may not be required when Lundstram is called upon, as stated by his pending new boss.

"I think that we don't have such a profile right now in the team, and if he comes, that will be perfect for us," Jakirovic told Hull Live after the narrow success against last season's League One play-off semi-finalists.

This will be music to the ears of supporters, who are starting to buy into the Bosnian's methods, allowing for some forms of positivity to be fostered ahead of what many outsiders believe will be a challenging campaign for Hull.