"Really stings" - Hull City are living to regret missing out Ipswich Town talisman | OneFootball

It's a tough watch for the Tigers as the Ipswich man kicks on

Hull City made some quality additions in the summer transfer window who have helped them greatly so far this year.

It’s by no means been a great start for the Tigers, who sit in 19th place in the Championship, but likely would have been worse without the goals contributed by Kasey Palmer and assists provided by Mohamed Belloumi, both signed in the summer.

However, especially with the January window drawing closer, their tricky start will cast many fans’ minds back to deals they just missed out on.

We asked our Tigers Fan Pundit, Ryan, for one player his club was linked with but just missed out on.

There was only ever going to be one answer for the Tigers fan, and it is a relatively recent missed opportunity: Liam Delap.

Speaking to Football League World, Ryan said: “I mean, I'd like to give you a really old school one like Neymar to West Ham, but mine really, really has to be Liam Delap.

“Because, from what I've heard, just amongst some sources around the club, that if Rosenior hadn't have been sacked, Liam Delap would have come back on a permanent.

“And it really stings to see Liam Delap succeeded in the way he is.

“Well, it doesn't sting, it's bittersweet because I'm really rooting for him, and I'm loving everything that he's doing in the Premier League, but it hurts that what happened in the summer has had such a knock-on effect, and we could have had that player not only in our ranks but at our disposal in terms of him being our own player.

“And even if all City are considered a feeder club, we could have got a massive price tag on him, even if we hadn't have gone up.”

It will be difficult to watch Delap’s progress this season

If it was as simple as missing out on Delap due to a management change, then Hull fans will be bitterly disappointed that that’s what prevented the striker from moving to the MKM Stadium permanently.

The 21-year-old spent last season on loan with the club, netting eight goals and providing two assists, so they know exactly what he’s about, but even to them, the way he’s adjusted to Premier League life may be a shock.

In just 11 appearances for Ipswich Town, the club he eventually ended up moving to, he’s notched six top-flight goals, plus a further assist, in a team that is by no means lighting the division up.

They haven’t come against easy times, either. He opened his account against a solid Fulham side, bagged two against Champions League competitors Aston Villa and secured a crucial goal and assist to provide the Tractor Boys’ first top-tier win, away at Tottenham Hotspur, no less.

It seems that Delap’s career is only heading in one direction, regardless of the fate of his current team this year.

Hull fans, like Ryan, will undoubtedly wish Delap well and enjoy seeing his progress, but it will be difficult to watch knowing how close he was to being a fully-fledged Hull player just a few short months ago.

They could certainly use his goals, and although anything like his current form would have made him difficult to keep hold of, he would surely have brought some substantial revenue to the club in a transfer window to come.