Imminent Hull City transfer departure will surely split opinion: View | OneFootball

The striker has spent the last two seasons with the Tigers.

Hull City are expected to be in need of finding a new forward this summer, with their 10-goal Turkish star from last season seemingly days away from leaving the MKM Stadium.

After joining the Tigers in July 2022 from Fenerbahçe, Ozan Tufan has become the main man leading the line for the last two years, despite signing as a central midfielder.

However, the 29-year-old will be moving back to his home country with Trabzonspor imminently, according to journalist Ertan Süzgün.

Both club and player have agreed personal terms as per Süzgün, with Hull and Trabzonspor now finalising the details of the transfer itself.

Tufan has made 84 appearances in his two seasons in Humberside, scoring 18 goals while picking up two assists, all in the Championship.

A return to Turkey is hard to turn down for Tufan

Despite signing a three-year contract in 2022 with the Tigers, it looks certain that Tufan will move to Trabzonspor very soon.

The Turkish side will play in Europe next season, after finishing third in the Süper Lig last time out - 32 points behind second place Fenerbahçe. Their exploits in the league have earned them a place in the Europa League second qualifying round at the end of July, giving Tufan another opportunity to play on the European stage, after doing so throughout his first spell in Turkey.

The club, known by their nickname of Karadeniz Firtinasi (translated to the Black Sea Storm in English), have won the Süper Lig on eight occasions, most recently in 2021/22. With the possibility of winning a top flight league title in the coming years, it is understandable why, at 29, Tufan will move on from the Championship.

The midfielder-turned-forward has played nearly 200 games in the Süper Lig for Fenerbahçe, Bursaspor and Antalyaspor, scoring 21 goals and notching up 24 assists. But after a year without success at Hull, it seems the perfect time to add to his total in Turkey.

Tufan has not been called up to his national team since 2021, when he was on loan with Watford in the Premier League. Failing to play in the top flight of any country has limited his play-time for his nation in recent years, and with his recent change of position and the potential transfer, he may just introduce himself to Vincenzo Montella, who took over as the head coach of Turkey last year.

Hull fans may worry about transfer plans this summer

Although Tufan may bring in a good fee for Hull in this transfer window, but with Jaden Philogene and Jacob Greaves looking likely to move on as well, they will need to work hard to replace their three stars from last season.

Both Southampton and West Ham United are interested in Philogene, according to a report from TeamTalk, and after 18 goal involvements for Hull last season, it is clear to see why. The 22-year-old is one of the most highly sought after players in the Championship, and will leave a giant hole in the Tigers' attacking force next season.

Greaves, on the other hand, was crucial in keeping Hull's defensive record strong, as they finished 7th in 2023/24. His side conceded just 60 goals in 46 matches, with 11 clean sheets to their name. Ipswich Town, who secured promotion to the Premier League on the final day, are said to be interested in Greaves, as per The Telegraph.

At 23, the centre-back will command a large price, but with multiple positions potentially being needed to be filled this season, and with other clubs holding the knowledge that Hull will have money, it could be a long summer attempting to replace their key players.

Tufan adds to this problem, with most having expected him to see out his contract if the team made it to the play-offs. However, after the failure at the back-end of the last campaign, a quick cash injection could make it a fun transfer window for Hull supporters.

However, this is still likely to split the opinion of the fans. The Tigers have a solid base to work from next season if they are able to hold on to some of their key players, but their lack of recent success will play in the minds of supporters who know how valuable money is to the club after they struggled financially under the previous owners.

A lack of trust in the board could occur if players are cashed in on, particularly if the price is not right. Yet, with a successful window, it could be easy to forget the stars of 2023/24 who came close to taking the club back to the Premier League.