Turkish TV mogul agrees to buy Hull City for £ 30million – and vows to employ Turkish coaching staff AND players “to fly our country’s flag in England”
- Acun Ilicali made millions thanks to the Turkish production company established in 2004
- He agreed to a £ 30million fee to buy Hull, though there were hurdles to overcome
- Ilicali spoke about bringing Turkish players and coaches to Hull
- Buyout would end Assem Allam’s controversial 11-year stay at the club
Turkish media mogul Acun Ilicali has agreed to a £ 30million fee for the purchase of Hull City – after revealing last month his intention to make the club “made up of Turks”.
While the Daily Hull Mail report that there are still several hurdles to overcome before the buyout can be finalized, Egyptian owner Assem Allam has accepted an offer from Ilicali which will be paid in installments, with an additional £ 20million to be paid if the club from Yorkshire is promoted to the Premier League.
Ilicali, who started as a reporter and host in Turkey in the 1990s before founding his own production company in 2004, sold his stake in Dutch club Fortuna Sittard in April less than a year after buying the club.
Acun Ilicali – pictured with ex-wife Seyma Subasi in 2018 – agreed to a fee to buy Hull
Alicali sits alongside Fenerbahce owner Ali Koc during a basketball game in January 2020
“I am thinking of buying Hull City in England,” Ilicali, 52, revealed in September.
“The other part trusts us. If God allows it, my dream will come true. I want to fly our country’s flag in England with the success of Hull City.
“I hope Hull City will be made up of Turks, from their coaches to some players in the future. My goal is to create a team that makes noise in the world. ‘
Due diligence still needs to be done for the takeover to be completed, and Allam and the fans will not be over-excited until the deal is struck, as several buyout offers have failed since the club went on sale. in 2014.
Hull defenders shut down Middlesbrough’s Uche Ikpeazu in Championship clash this month
Daily Hull Mail report that no contact has been made with Hull City Council regarding the potential purchase of the MKM Stadium, where the club plays its home matches.
Egyptian businessman Allam bought Hull in 2010, pumping millions into the club and earning a promotion to the Premier League in 2013. After his promotion, he announced his intention to “rename” the club to “Hull City Tigers “, eliciting a furious reaction from their fans. and end his honeymoon period as the owner.
The FA rejected Allam’s attempt to change Hull’s name in 2014 and he put the club up for sale that same year. They were relegated to the league in 2015, returned for a season in 2016-17, then moved back down to League One in 2020.
Current Hull owner Assem Allam tried unsuccessfully to change the club’s name in 2014
Grant McCann organized an immediate return to second tier as League One champion last season, but he is under pressure with Hull currently 22nd in the league and two points behind safety.
They currently have no players or staff on the books from Turkey, with Australian Callum Elder the only one from Great Britain or Ireland.
The club are said to have owed Allam £ 39.5million in loans.
