Hull City have moved to snap up the free agent on a long-term deal
Oliver McBurnie has become Hull City’s latest summer signing(Image: Hull City AFC)
Hull City have completed the signing of striker Oliver McBurnie in what is a major boost to the club ahead of the opening game at Coventry City on Saturday afternoon.
City have spent the summer trying to get a deal done for the former Sheffield United striker following his departure from Las Palmas in La Liga and finally have their man.
McBurnie has signed a three-year contract with the option of a fourth at the MKM Stadium and is expected to go straight into the squad for the season opener in the Midlands with the number nine on his back.
The 29-year-old Scotland international has become something of a marquee signing, given the Tigers’ well-documented issues with their transfer fee restrictions. Snapping him up is a significant shot in the arm for Sergej Jakirovic’s bid to turn the Tigers into a side capable of competing this season.
It’s been something of a saga in recent weeks with the deal seemingly on, and then off, and then on again. Jakirovic, Acun Ilicali and sporting director Jared Dublin will be pleased that all their efforts have paid off.
City fought off strong competition from Ruben Selles at Bramall Lane to snare McBurnie, who had his City medical in London on Tuesday after terms were finally agreed on Monday evening, before heading back up to Yorkshire to conduct his in-house media commitments.
Selles had been keen to bring McBurnie back to the Steel City a year after he left for the Canary Islands, especially after allowing former Tigers target Kieffer Moore to join Wrexham, but the lure of regular football, a fresh challenge and City’s desire to sign him swung things in their favour.
Ipswich Town and former club Swansea City had shown interest, while Las Palmas were desperate to have the forward back to spearhead their promotion bid, but it’s the East Yorkshire club who have won the race.
McBurnie will now be tasked with solving the goalscoring crisis which engulfed the Tigers last season. He could yet be joined by more firepower in the coming days.
City are in talks with Leeds United over a move for Joe Gelhardt, in a deal which would see the popular forward return to the MKM Stadium after a successful loan spell under Selles last season.
Westerlo forward Matija Frigan is another target, but any potential move for the Croatian is dependent upon City’s three-window fee restriction being lifted at their appeal, which was heard on Wednesday.
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