For this week’s blog, I’m going to assess Hull City’s potential January transfer window. If Phil Brown can’t put out a side that can be bothered to play against Wigan in the FA Cup, then I sure as hell can’t be bothered to write about it.

The next three weeks will be a very interesting time to be a Hull City fan, with activities off the field that could have a huge bearing in the team’s end to season. We’re only guessing what will happen, but let’s start with the facts:

City are skint, and have to sell before they can buy. Chairman Adam Pearson is on record as saying the club cannot survive in it’s current financial state, after a couple of seasons of mismanagement from previous incumbent Paul Duffen. Without directly stating as much, Pearson has pretty much slated the Duff Man, critiquing the deals done over the past season, and the management of the club’s wage structure, which needs to be drastically reduced.

It is rumoured that city are currently losing around £1million a month, which equates to ten players earning £25,000 a week. Bearing in mind that few Tigers’ players will be earning in excess of that much money, then it seems clear that plenty will have to leave the club, particularly if Phil Brown is hoping to bring in some fresh blood.

So who will the club move on? The likes of Bryan Hughes and Caleb Folan seem pretty obvious candidates, and have already been loaned away this season. They should find Championship clubs without too much bother.

City are currently operating with three senior goalkeepers, so will likely move one along. They could raise cash by selling Myhill for a transfer fee, although the most likely to go would surely be Tony Warner, who is till yet to start in the Premier League for City.

Geovanni could be another to go for a fee to ease the club’s financial worries. He would attract a transfer fee but is one of City’s better players. Although he’s been poor of late surely we’d miss him in the long run.

Cousin hasn’t featured much and is a high earner, but what Championship club would pay his wages? None is the answer. This is the main problem for Pearson in moving players along; the player we don’t ant will not be coveted by others in the Premier League, and so there is nowhere for them to pick up their wages apart from in City’s reserve team. Unless the club decides to subsidise their wages of course, which would ease very little of the club’s financial situation. It’s a very difficult situation for the club.

Peter Halmosi will likely be moved on, along with potentially Dean Marney, and Stephen Mouyokolo has put in a transfer request.

If some or all of these players can be shifted, then a couple of new players could come in, with the chairman making noises pointing to a new striker. For me, I can’t see a new frontman making much difference. I’d rather see a good young defender come in, or a nippy winger to give City more options and more potential going forward.

There was talk of Freddy Adu being a potential signing, but that seems to have fallen through. I couldn’t have seen it being an amazing signing, but it will be interesting to see what type of player the Tigers do eventually move for.

Looking forward to Saturday, the game against Chelsea has to be viewed as a ‘free hit’. On paper, the visitors should deal with City comfortably. However, they have lost a few key players to the African cup of nations, so if City perform and Chelsea have an off day then you never know. The Tigers did well in their last two outings against big four teams, despite losing both games, so a point for City is perhaps not beyond the realms of possibility.

Cheers,
TC