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Hull City finish transfer window strong

By John Herrmann

Hull City are in a much better position than many speculated after some key Deadline Day deals.(Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)
Hull City are in a much better position than many speculated after some key Deadline Day deals.(Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images) /
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After months of not delving into the market, Hull City have made multiple moves on deadline day.

“Better late than never” will most likely be the most uttered phrase in Hull as this window closes. Hull City fans were getting anxious due to their lack of signings, and they can finally breathe easy. After refusing to make any deals throughout the summer, the Tigers unveiled six signings in a matter of two days.

Hesitance to enter the market was mostly due to the club being nearly sold to Chinese investors all summer. This failure to bring in any players left the Tigers down to bare bones, with only 14 senior players available for last weekend’s match with Manchester United. It also cost the club the resignation of manager Steve Bruce due to the obstinance of the owners.

Now that the club has been all but sold (subject to inevitable FA approval), they have not been gun-shy when it comes to announcing their signings. Over the two days leading up to the closing of the window, their website has been full of transfer news.

Permanent Signings

The Tigers kicked off the transfer storm with signing of David Marshall from Cardiff City. The experienced Scottish keeper will be a much-needed addition to the Hull back half. A proven leader, Marshall lead Cardiff to the Premier League in 2013. Marshall is well acquainted with many of his teammates already, having played with Allan McGregor, Andy Robertson, Robert Snodgrass, and Shaun Maloney at the international level.

Ryan Mason adds some much-needed star power to the midfield the newly promoted Hull City. (Photo by Jack Thomas/Getty Images)
Ryan Mason adds some much-needed star power to the midfield the newly promoted Hull City. (Photo by Jack Thomas/Getty Images) /

In possibly the most surprising move, Hull broke their club record fee with the £13 million signing of Tottenham midfielder Ryan Mason. Thought to be a stalwart in the Spurs squad, Mason made 66 appearances in the past two seasons.

As a product of their youth system, Mason had been at White Hart Lane since the age of 8. At only the age of 25, Ryan Mason appears to be a signing geared towards the future. His experience will only add to a strong midfield of Snodgrass and former-Spur Jake Livermore. Mason will likely be the marquee signing for Hull, showing intention to continue their strong start to this season.

Hull also captured two Manchester United products on deadline day, Will Keane and James Weir. Both men are young (Keane, 23, and Weir, 21), having both made their debuts for Manchester United. Keane is a promising striker with a wealth of youth international experience having lead the England national team from the U16 to U21 levels. Weir, on the other hand, is a proven leader, having captained United’s U21 side last season. Both players are looking for first-team football, which they will get plenty of at KCOM Stadium.

On Loan

On loan from Dynamo Kiev, Dieumerci Mbokani adds a much-needed experienced strike option to the Hull offence. After a successful loan spell last year to Norwich City, Mbokani hopes to replicate his success there at Hull. He brings with him plenty of experience, being age 30, and international experience playing for Democratic Republic of Congo. Mbokani scored 16 goals in 35 appearances for his nation.

Also coming in temporarily is Norway international Markus Henriksen, a young player from Dutch side AZ Alkmaar. Henriksen was Alkmaar’s player of the season last year, helping them to their first domestic cup final victory in history. Hull fans can look forward to having a more threatening attacking midfielder this season, allowing them to test opposing defenses more than they have already done.

How Much Will These Signings Help?

Hull City fans will largely be disappointed with this window, considering they did not do any incoming business until the last days. Many will feel like they could have gone for more big name stars, especially considering the ludicrous amounts of money they are getting from television deals.

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However, there are many reasons to be optimistic, as the Mason, Keane, and Weir signings show that they are for developing for the future. Though they may struggle to avoid relegation this campaign, they could become a league mainstay if they retain their young talent.

Of course, their impressive start to the season could see them finish mid-table if new signings perform well. Taking 6 points from 3 matches is impressive for a newly promoted club, so that is a promising start. If Mason in particular can have an impact right away, the Tigers will have confidence in their squad to make a run.

Their performance against United shows that the existing squad was not to be underestimated, and these new boys add depth. Most doubts about Hull City did not revolve around their quality, but rather their depth. Now that they can fill out a team sheet, they may not succumb to 90th minute strikes.

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