Hull City should only do Middlesbrough business on one condition: View | OneFootball

The left-back has completed a permanent transfer to the Tigers this summer, but a complicated situation means he could leave the club.

Middlesbrough are preparing a bid for Hull City left-back Ryan Giles, according to Hull Live, in what would be an extraordinary turnaround following his recent permanent move to the Tigers.

In what has the potential to become one of the most bizarre transfer sagas in recent memory, the former Blackburn Rovers and Cardiff City defender could be heading straight for the exit door at the MKM Stadium, just days after penning a three-year contract with the club.

Hull signed Giles on loan back in January, in a deal that saw an obligation to buy the ex-Wolverhampton Wanderers academy graduate from Luton Town this summer, for a fee believed to be around £4m.

However, this was during a time when the club was under the management of Liam Rosenior, who has since left. With Tim Walter now in the dugout, it remains unclear as to whether the 24-year-old is part of his plans going forward.

If not, then Giles' former club Middlesbrough are believed to be keen to strike a deal that would see him return to Teesside on a permanent basis.

Hull City should only sell Ryan Giles to Middlesbrough for a profit

It's fair to say that Giles' spell with the Tigers in the second half of last season wasn't as productive as Hull supporters would've hoped for, and towards the end of the season he lost his place in the starting 11 to Matty Jacob.

That isn't to say he played poorly. Rather, the assist numbers and attacking threat Giles has evidenced in prior Championship campaigns, wasn't on display as much as Hull would've liked/expected.

As such, it's hard to make the case for Giles' value increasing over the last six months, and if anything, it may well have decreased slightly.

This was backed up by a report from The Northern Echo, which stated that should Middlesbrough complete a deal for Giles this summer, they wouldn't be willing to fork out anything close to the £4 million fee Hull City have paid.

Therefore, the Tigers may have to get clever should they hope to stand any chance of making a profit on Giles at some point, with the additions of sell-on fees and other clauses/bonuses potentially being a crucial factor to any possible deal.

A straight loan to Boro will surely be something that Hull would not entertain, as this would only serve to strengthen a direct promotion rival for no monetary gain.

Ryan Giles will likely hold an interest in Middlesbrough return

A report from The Northern Echo this summer stated that Giles would "jump at the chance" to make a return to the North East this summer, in a move which would see him link back up with Boro boss Michael Carrick.

Indeed, it is the former Manchester United legend that has seemingly extracted the best out of the young full-back in recent times, with his 11 assists in a Middlesbrough shirt during the 2022/23 season being the most in the Championship that year.

Hull should attempt to use this apparent mutual desire for a reunion to their advantage at the negotiation table, as this could be seen as an opportunity to drive Giles' price up, knowing Boro may be tempted to pay slightly over the odds.

That's merely speculation, however, but the fact is that Hull City supporters will no doubt be somewhat miffed at their club's early approach to what is an important summer transfer window at the MKM.

Tension and confusion amongst the fanbase would only serve to increase should Giles be allowed to leave this summer, as for a club who should be looking to build on a strong 2023/24 campaign, it does appear to be a less than convincing opening to their summer business.