Hull City in "very advanced" talks to sign midfielder | OneFootball

Laalaoui has been linked with a potential move to HU3

Hull City are in "very advanced" talks to strike a deal for 20-year-old Moroccan youth international, Reda Laalaoui.

This is according to a fresh report from FootMercato on Monday afternoon, as the Tigers look to bring the highly-rated midfielder to the Championship ahead of the 2025/26 season which gets underway on August 10th.

City stayed up in the second-tier by the skin of their teeth under Ruben Selles, with a 1-1 draw against Portsmouth at Fratton Park enough for the East Yorkshire side to keep their heads above water in the relegation battle as Matt Crooks' goal proved decisive and ultimately consigned Luton Town to back-to-back relegations from the Premier League and into League One.

At present, it remains to be seen whether the Spanish boss, who was poached from Reading last December, will be overseeing matters as a crucial decision from owner, Acun Ilicali, and other members of the hierarchy at the MKM Stadium is set to be made in the coming days.

However, in recent days and weeks, Hull have continued to be linked with a handful of potential transfer moves which either hint towards steady second-tier experience or a look towards the future, with a deal for Laalaoui said to be close at this moment in time.

Hull City in advanced talks to sign Reda Laalaoui

Laalaoui is currently plying his trade in his home country for FUS Rabat of the Botola Pro 1 - the top flight, professional league in Morocco, in which his side ended the season in fourth place having won 15 of their 30 games, accumulating a final points haul of 53.

However, with the off-season for both Rabat and the Tigers now in full swing, it was first reported by Santi Aouna of FootMercato via X that discussions between the respective parties involved are "progressing fast" and that a "complete formal agreement" is set to be reached in the coming days.

A longer report from the publication outlines that Laalaoui is set to fly from North Africa to England and that negotiations are at a "very advanced" stage.

Laalaoui is no stranger to interest from sides across Europe too, with Belgian publication, VoetbalNieuws, reporting last summer that Pro League giants, Anderlecht, were exploring the possibility of signing the highly-rated midfielder as income from their previous UEFA Champions League campaign dried up, as well as interest from the likes of Eibar and Alaves in Spain.

The 20-year-old has played 54 times for Rabat since making his senior bow with a four-minute substitute cameo in a 1-0 defeat against RS Berkane at the age of 17.

He has found the net on four occasions and laid on three assists for his club, as well as scoring six times in 21 appearances for Morocco's Under-21's side, who he debuted for in May 2023 against Burkina Faso.

Hull City supporters will hope Reda Laalaoui becomes a long-term success in East Yorkshire

At such an early stage in his career, and with the Championship hardly comparable to divisions such as the Moroccan top-flight, it remains to be seen whether Laalaoui will become a long-term success for Hull. However, the early reviews show signs of encouragement that he could be a successful investment.

If Selles is kept on as head coach, the Tigers have someone in charge with great credibility when it comes to progressing young talent, having had to work with academy signings and those developing their early careers at Reading, such as Tyler Bindon, who earned a move to Nottingham Forest.

Furthermore, there is a current link between Laalaoui's home country and the MKM Stadium, as Hull recruited 64-time 'Atlas Lions' international, Nordin Amrabat, on a short-term deal in January, with the 37-year-old winger making 10 appearances and registering one assist in Black and Amber.