Hull City are in ‘advanced’ talks to secure first summer signing as 24-year record set to be broken

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Hull City are set for another complete rebuild this summer after surviving in the Championship by the skin of their teeth.

The Tigers secured a final-day draw against Portsmouth to stay up on goal difference, but despite working miracles, the future of Ruben Selles is up in the air.

We revealed last week that Acun Ilicali wants to sack Selles, as he doesn’t see the current Hull City manager as the right man to take the club forward.

Ilicali will have a meeting with Selles in Turkey this week, where his future at the MKM Stadium will be decided, with the Spaniard set to be dismissed from his role.

Relieving the 41-year-old of his duties would be an unpopular decision among the fanbase, and although that is the news dominating the headlines, City are also close to completing their first signing.

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Hull City are in ‘advanced’ talks to sign Reda Laalaoui from FUS Rabat

Ahead of the summer transfer window, Steven Alzate has been linked with a move to Getafe and other Spanish clubs.

The 26-year-old, who was left out of the squad to face Pompey on the final day, is set to depart the club after less than a year.

Therefore, Hull must sign a new midfielder to replace the Colombian, and Foot Mercato have reported that the Tigers are in ‘advanced negotiations’ to sign Reda Laalaoui from FUS Rabat in the Moroccan top division.

An agreement with both parties is said to be close and a transfer will be completed in the coming days, seeing the 20-year-old make the switch to East Yorkshire.

Remarkably, it’s been 24 years since a Moroccan playing in Botola has directly signed for an English club, and that was Youssef Safri. He left Raja Casablanca to join Coventry in 2001.

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What Hull City fans need to know about Laalaoui

Born in Rabat, Morocco, Laalaoui has established himself as an exciting midfielder in the Moroccan first division, seeing his talents flourish.

The 2005-born star made 23 appearances in the 2024/25 campaign and returned four goals and three assists, with his side finishing the season in fourth position.

Laalaoui, who has received transfer interest from clubs in Portugal, the Netherlands and Belgium, has been capped 21 times by Morocco under-20s, scoring six times.

The highly-rated midfielder has made 54 appearances for Rabat since making his debut for the club at the age of 17, and will now be looking to shine in England’s second division, should Hull complete his signature.

It will be interesting to see whether the future of Selles will impact this deal from being completed, although if it does, Laalaoui will have fellow countryman Nordin Amrabat to help him feel at home straight away.