Hull City owner Acun Ilicali gives an update after being left ‘disturbed’ by ‘false transfer rumors’ during the summer window.
In a surprise move we don’t usually see form a club owner, Acun has called out the speculation involving his side and revealed the state of play, which has got fans guessing.
@acunilicali posted the following tweet on the 23rd of July:
“Dear Hull City family,
“We are reading dozens of false transfer rumors in many places.
“We are disturbed by the claims that we have been rejected and by the use of our club’s name to gain attention.
“We have been working intensively for two months.
“I believe we will build a team that we will all be proud of.
“To prevent false speculation and to give you more information, I am leaving you with our latest transfer situation, which includes some clues 🙂
1. Jack Butland 🏴 ☑️2. Oscar Zambrano 🇪🇨 ☑️3. Matt Targett 🏴 ☑️————————————4. 🇯🇵 99%5. 🇵🇹 80%6. 🇬🇷 90%7. 🇸🇳 70%8. 🇦🇺 80%9. 🇸🇪 90%10. 🇫🇷 70%11. 🇯🇵 60%12. 🇭🇷 80%13. 🇯🇲 70%14. 🇹🇷🇩🇪 70%
@HullCity#HullCity #hcafc #theTigers
Dear Hull City family,
We are reading dozens of false transfer rumors in many places.We are disturbed by the claims that we have been rejected and by the use of our club’s name to gain attention. We have been working intensively for two months. I believe we will build a team…
— Acun Ilıcalı (@acunilicali) July 23, 2026
He said while talking to talkSPORT this week: “Think about us like a volcano. It’s boiling right now and it’s going to erupt,
“At the moment we are preparing a good squad. I’m very, very happy because the targets we have, 80 per cent progress is good.
“We have to make a new team very sensibly I think with ten or 12 players we’re going to bring in. Of course, I cannot pronounce the names!
“I can see that we’re in very good shape. We’re closing deals and three or four new players will come.
“I’m very excited for the Manchester United game.”
Ilicali hopes to bring in Olympiakos goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis: “Yes, we are expecting (to sign for Hull).
“He is very talented and an important goalkeeper. He’s very young, 23, and he has the responsibility of a big club like Olympiakos.
“He’s the guy who saved three penalties in the Conference League against Fenerbahce.
“He made us lose our dream of getting the cup but I’m happy that he will probably be together with us.
“I hope in two or three days we can finalise it but in football you never know anything until it’s done.”
He spoke more on Hull’s transfer strategy: “You cannot go one way and have all ex-Premier League players or no Premier League players and just new names.
“I will bring four or five experienced Premier League players this week.
“Our advantage is that the players can’t play for Manchester United and Chelsea but they are very, very good.
“They can play at Manchester United in the future so what I tell them is instead of waiting, come here (Hull). This is the best club in the world, for me.
“Then if you prove yourself at the top level you will go to Manchester United.
“There’s so many big talents in Europe now and this time we are waiting for the best ones.”
Here’s the social media reaction after the Hull City owner Acun Ilicali gives an update after being left ‘disturbed’ by ‘false transfer rumors’…
@LennonWallis:From that I’ve gotLeon Bailey 🇯🇲Mitsoma 🇯🇵Tzolikis 🇬🇷Pasalic 🇭🇷Stroud 🇸🇪Danois 🇫🇷Sanches 🇵🇹Can Uzun 🇹🇷🇩🇪#hcafc
@Staffy_pr0: Hes bonkers and I love it. Now someone with a bit of time to kill go figure out all of them 🙏 #hcafc
@Jacob_Todd10: What a guy 🤣 no fucks given just called out loads of fake reports and give the fans a full list of everyone they’re in talks with
@StormTroop_Aim: Fair play. He’s seen all the tweets about lack of activity and just literally laid out all the plans 😂 #hcafc
@Leightonharri23: Get ur guesses in lads 😂 genuinely what a guy #hcafc
@UpTheTigerssss: I’ve never known a football owner like it. He’s absolutely fucking bonkers but I love him to bits🤣🤣🤣🤣 #HCAFC
@Im_RobM: This is class and absolutely mental at the same time.
@HullCityStats:Oh my goodness. 🤯 🚨Acun Ilicali you crazy, brilliant man. 🇹🇷Enjoy this MASSIVE tease #HCAFC fans!
@HcafcT: This is why this man deserved a premier league football club. What an owner 🤣 #hcafc
@JOGOBONlTO: okay fair enough he’s the greatest football owner of all time because who else is doing this
@mjmarr_star: Unusual method, which is giving me Tony Xia flashbacks. Yet this would suggest Hull City are more than two-thirds of the way to signing Leon Bailey. #avfc
