Shock: "Signing Oh Hyun-kyu? That won't happen." British local media pours cold water: "Hull City's finances are not good"... Dream of becoming the 21st Korean Premier League player fades away

*This content was translated by AI.

British local media completely dismissed rumors about South Korea national team striker Oh Hyun-kyu (25, Besiktas) transferring to England's Premier League (EPL) club Hull City.

The British regional newspaper "Hull Daily Mail" reported on the 10th (Korea time) that "recent rumors in Turkish media about Oh Hyun-kyu joining Hull City are far from the truth." The outlet highlighted his performances, noting that "Oh has played as both a central and wide forward, scored goals at the 2026 CONCACAF Nations League, and recorded eight goals in 16 matches on the Turkish stage this past season," but drew a clear line by stating, "Hull City has no plans to sign him."

Just one day earlier, the possibility of Oh Hyun-kyu joining the EPL had raised expectations among domestic soccer fans. This was because Turkish transfer market expert Serkan Morova stated on his social media (SNS) on the 9th that "EPL promotion-bound Hull City is closely monitoring Oh Hyun-kyu."

Oh Hyun-kyu, who left Belgian club Genk in February and transferred to prestigious Turkish side Besiktas, made a successful start by scoring eight goals and providing four assists in 16 official matches. Notably, during the first group stage match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Czech Republic, he was substituted in and scored a dramatic 2-1 winning goal—the decisive strike that secured victory—as well as his World Cup debut goal, proving his international competitiveness.

Despite these strong performances, the backdrop of transfer rumors lies in a change of management at his club. After Besiktas recently appointed Vincenzo Italiano as its new head coach, it is reported that the club is exploring the acquisition of top strikers such as Doosan Blahovich and Romelu Lukaku. With Oh Hyun-kyu's starting position becoming uncertain under the new coaching regime, rumors about a transfer gained momentum.

Oh Hyun-kyu has consistently knocked on the door to join major leagues. In the summer of 2025, he failed a medical test for a proposed move to German club Stuttgart due to unclear reasons, and last winter, he attracted interest from EPL's Fulham but did not complete a transfer. Had this Hull City deal been finalized, he would have become the 21st Korean player in Premier League history, but British local media's denial has temporarily eased concerns.

Meanwhile, Hull City, which was linked with Oh Hyun-kyu, is currently experiencing some internal unrest as it prepares for training ahead of the new season. The outlet reported that "the club abruptly dismissed sports director Jared Dublin, and owner Ajjun Ilizali engaged in a public dispute on social media with other club owners over the appointment of his successor," reflecting the tense situation.

Hull City achieved a remarkable comeback by securing promotion to the EPL for the first time since 2017 after a dramatic victory over Middlesbrough in last season's English Championship (second division) playoff tournament. Currently, the club is betting everything on remaining in the EPL and strengthening its squad for the new season, even taking out loans secured against its home stadium and training ground to secure immediate transfer market funds before receiving substantial EPL revenue shares.

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*This content was translated by AI.