“Trust the manager” – Ray Parlour’s message to Hull City over West Ham, Burnley target | OneFootball

Former Hull City midfielder Ray Parlour has urged supporters to trust new manager Tim Walter in the transfer market, particularly as interest in Jacob Greaves intensifies from the likes of West Ham United and Burnley.

The homegrown centre-back has been a staple of the Tigers' defence ever since breaking through under Grant McCann in the club's League One-winning campaign of 2020/21 and has since made great strides in the Championship.

Similarly to Greaves, Hull as a club have progressed massively since Acun Ilicali's takeover in January 2022, especially last season under Liam Rosenior.

The club's former right-back guided the club to their highest league position since 2017 but it wasn't enough for Rosenior to keep his job as he was sacked after the final day defeat by Plymouth Argyle which saw City miss out on a play-off place before eventually being replaced by Walter.

Hull City supporters urged to get behind Tim Walter in the transfer market

The EFL officially sees the summer transfer window open on Friday 14th June, weeks before clubs in the second, third and fourth tiers of English football begin their pre-season preparations.

As a result of the due diligence involved in Walter's arrival from Acun Ilicali, rumours have been somewhat quiet in terms of incomings to HU3, but they have seen a plethora of rumours involving the aforementioned talent of Greaves – with the Hammers, Spurs, and Burnley both named as potential suitors.

It's a difficult situation for the new German boss to be in, as he embarks on his maiden pre-season and transfer window in charge of the Tigers.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, via NetBet Casino, Parlour, who featured 15 times for the club on loan from Middlesbrough in 2007, has urged supporters to be patient when it comes to potential domino effects a sale of the 23-year-old could have on their recruitment.

“He has been a good player for Hull City, but if the manager believes he can recruit elsewhere and bring in better players this may be the case," he said.

“You can’t keep spending without recouping money for players, so it’s important to have a balanced squad and you have the trust the manager to bring in good players.

Parlour concluded: “Strength in depth is key in the Championship with so many games as well.”

Interest in Hull City's Jacob Greaves

Greaves has been the subject of long-standing interest, particularly from the likes of Premier League sides West Ham, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur.

It was revealed in March by the Mirror that The Toffees have regularly monitored the left-footed centre-half's progression in Black and Amber amid interest in their own star defender, Jarrad Branthwaite, which has only grown stronger as the transfer window edges closer.

Furthermore, Tottenham were said to have sent scouts to watch Greaves perform admirably in a 2-2 draw with eventual champions Leicester City, whilst West Ham were keeping tabs on the defender whilst they replaced David Moyes with Julen Lopetegui.

Meanwhile, newly-relegated Burnley have since seen their hat thrown into this developing transfer saga, with talkSPORT claiming that the Hull-born man is valued at approximately £15m.

Hull City could reinvest sizeable fee for academy graduate

It comes to the surprise of nobody of a Black and Amber persuasion that the defender, who was also included in the official Championship Team of the Season, and scooped a hat-trick of accolades at the club's Player of the Year awards, is continuing to gain admirers from the top flight.

Ilicali has recently spoken about how he can only invest £14-15m of his own cash into the club over the course of the season. Therefore, the club may have to prepare themselves for the possibilty of losing a star name, with Greaves fronting said queue, and the Turkish media mogul has already potentially handed hope to those aforementioned suitors.

"Greaves wants to play in the Premier League and he's such a nice boy," Ilicali told the Yorkshire Post. "I love him as a character, he's a real captain and I told him, 'Greaves we need you, you are so good, please stay with us’.

Therefore, it may be a crushing blow for supporters to lose such a talent, but with his contract at the MKM Stadium running until 2026, the Tigers hierarchy will look to eke out every last penny in a potential departure, giving Walter a major boost when it comes to moulding the overall squad into one of his own.