CITY FELT LIKE GOOD MOVE FOR ME

CHARLOTTE WILSON/OFFSIDE/ VIA GETTY IMAGES

Elliot Stroud takes a throw-in against Manchester United

IT’S A DREAM COME TRUE

STROUD’S JOURNEY FROM WORLD CUP TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE

26 ago 2026 - Hull Daily Mail

By BARRY COOPER barry.cooper@reachplc.com @bazdjcooper

ELLIOT Stroud admits he’s fulfilled a lifelong dream at the age of 24 to play in the Premier League, after making his debut for Hull City on Saturday against Manchester United.

And it comes during a frenetic period which has seen him catch the eye during this summer’s World Cup, where he played in all four of Sweden’s games, having only made his senior debut in June for Graham Potter’s charges.

Stroud helped the Tigers claim an historic first-ever Premier League win over Manchester United, playing 71 minutes, before being replaced by Liam Millar.

The left-sided player’s move to England took a while to come to pass, with him playing for Mjallby AIF in a bid to help their European qualification, but he says the opportunity to play in the Premier League was one he was not going to pass up.

“When I heard that Hull City were interested, it was something that just felt right in the gut,” the Swedish star says.

“I had nothing to worry about. I spoke to some people, and everything felt great, and as a great club, it felt like a good move for me personally.

“It was a dream of mine to play in the Premier League, and I realised it is a huge step to take from the Allsvenskan (Swedish top flight) to the Premier League, but once the opportunity got here, I felt like it was something I wanted to take on and wanted to try, and it’s not something I regret in the slightest.”

It’s been a whirlwind few months for Stroud, after going to the World Cup and then getting a big move to the Premier League, but such has been the speed of his rise, he admits it’ll take a while before he has a chance to reflect on the upward trajectory of his career.

“Yeah, for sure, but I don’t think maybe in a couple of months, maybe it will be in a couple of years,” he joked. “Everything’s been moving so fast for me this year and these past months as well, so I’m still in the moment, and I think I haven’t fully realised yet what I’ve done so far.”

Few players get the chance to play in the World Cup, but that was something Stroud achieved when he came off the bench in the 5-1 win over Tunisia in Guadalajara, going on to play in each of his country’s games, including a start in the Round of 32 defeat to France.

“It was top,” he said of his World Cup adventure. “It was a really good experience, and to come in as I did and to play as much as I did, the gaffer (Graham Potter) believed in me so much; it was really great and something that I am very proud of.”

We want to prove critics are wrong

Though Stroud didn’t speak with Sweden boss Potter before his move to England, he has since had a conversation with the former Brighton and Chelsea chief about joining the Tigers.

“I didn’t actually speak to him (Potter) before, but he spoke to me afterwards and congratulated me on the move, so that was very, very nice of him.”

City will be underdogs throughout the season, but that’s not something that concerns Stroud, who’s already settling in and on the hunt for somewhere to live, so he can wave goodbye to the hotel and really make himself feel at home in East Yorkshire.

“I think that’s the case, in most clubs I’ve been in. We’ve always been the underdogs, and we’ve succeeded, where I was, so hopefully we can do the same here as well and prove everyone wrong.

“Everyone’s been super welcome, Oli (Mcburnie) and Lewie (Coyle), of course.

“Everyone on and off the pitch has given me a super warm welcome, and I’m really glad to be here.”

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GREIG COWIE/ SHUTTERSTOCK

Hull City head coach Sergej Jakirovic celebrates with 

goalscorer Semi Ajayi after the game against Manchester United

City are still going to be relegated, say pundits

VICTORY OVER UNITED FAILS TO ALTER ‘EXPERTS’ VIEWS

26 Aug 2026 - Hull Daily Mail

By BARRY COOPER 

barry.cooper@reachplc.com @bazdjcooper

Hull City began their season with a breathtaking 2-0 win over Manchester United at the MKM Stadium on Saturday, defying all the pundits who thought the Tigers would struggle to lay a glove on the 13-time Premier League winners.

Sergej Jakirovic’s men deservedly took all the plaudits for a stunning performance to see off Michael Carrick’s United, thanks to first-half goals from central defenders Semi Ajayi and Nobel Mendy.

That result leaves City fifth in the top-flight after the first weekend of action, which came to an end in West London on Monday night with Chelsea winning a five-goal thriller against near neighbours Fulham at Craven Cottage.

During Monday’s broadcast on Sky Sports, Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville gave their annual predictions for the season ahead, and despite that historic victory, little changed when it came to their assessment of the Tigers.

Both still have City going down, with Neville believing all three newly-promoted teams will make an instant return to the Championship, with former Liverpool defender Carragher predicting it will be City, Ipswich Town and Sunderland.

Gary Neville

“I hope one or two of the promoted sides stay up, but I’ve not got the faith I had last season.

“Last season, the first weekend we did the Leeds game against Everton.

“It was really positive and then Sunderland, we saw them beat West Ham, and I just thought there’s no way they’re going down, Sunderland.

“Having watched what I’ve seen this weekend, I’m going to go for the three promoted teams to go down.

“It’s unfair to judge Coventry on Friday night (3-0 loss at champions Arsenal) as they’re playing the best team by a mile, and that was a horrific start for them in terms of a fixture, so I wouldn’t judge that.

“Likewise, Hull, just a massive experience beating Man United, I wouldn’t pay too much attention to that, and the Ipswich win against Sunderland, there’s a long way to go.”

Jamie Carragher

“Why Sunderland? The fact they’ve got European football, they’re going to be doing a lot of

Thursday-sunday. I think Sunderland last season reminded me a little bit of Sheffield United under Chris Wilder, where they came up and had a really brilliant season, finished high up the table but a lot of the games, like Sunderland, you win by the odd goal. I’m not saying it’s luck but their underlying numbers had them not far away from relegation.”

Who is at risk?

Neville believes Fulham, under new manager Alvaro Arbeloa, will be in real danger of being dragged into a drop battle, while Carragher feels it will be Crystal Palace.

Carragher said: Crystal Palace haven’t had a great pre-season.

“They lost the first game at Everton, which, to be fair, they were actually very unlucky when you look at the chances they had. I know they had Europe last season, but a new manager, new in the Premier League, lost a few players, still in Europe... I’d probably go Crystal Palace to have a scare.”

Neville: “Watching Fulham [against Chelsea], that’s a risk, that’s a big risk. Young players, splitting your centre-backs like that, being open. We’ll know a bit more after they go to Sunderland next weekend.”

At the other end of the table, both had Arsenal to retain the Premier League title. Carragher backed Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool to finish second, third and fourth respectively. Neville went with Chelsea, City and Manchester United.

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MAXIME LE PIHIF/ICON SPORT VIA GETTY IMAGES

Mohamed-ali Cho is on Hull City’s signing radar

City face race against time to complete deals

TIGERS ON CUSP OF REINFORCEMENTS

26 Aug 2026 - Hull Daily Mail

By BARRY COOPER barry.cooper@reachplc.com @bazdjcooper

There’s just one week left of the transfer window, and for Hull City, a frantic period where the Tigers will look to add to their 11 signings to help bolster Sergej Jakirovic’s squad. City’s start to the season could not have gone any better, following Saturday’s impressive 2-0 win over Manchester United in front of a packed MKM Stadium.

Three of City’s summer signings started the game, before two came off the bench in the second half to see Jakirovic’s men over the line to secure their first-ever Premier League win against United, which it’s hoped will have acted as a perfect advert to potential new recruits.

The Tigers were back in action last night when they travelled to the Potteries to take on Championship side Stoke City in the second round of the Carabao Cup, before that huge showdown with Coventry City at the CBS Arena on Saturday.

Before then, owner Acun Ilicali hopes to have at least two more new arrivals through the door.

One of those is expected to be Mohamedali Cho, after the Tigers agreed terms on a deal for the Nice winger.

City had expected to sign the Frenchman a couple of weeks ago, but the deal collapsed, and the Premier League newcomers looked elsewhere, only to return to the negotiating table over the weekend.

A deal in the region of £13m has been agreed with Nice, and City hope to wrap up a deal in the next couple of days.

Union Berlin striker Ilyas Ansah is another player the Tigers are in talks with, and are on the cusp of agreeing terms with the German Bundesliga side.

City would pay around £15m to sign the 21-year-old, who is keen to move to the MKM Stadium and get a chance to play in the Premier League.

It’s thought a five-year contract would be on offer, as it is to Ali Cho.

In the final days of the window, their interest in Pablo Garcia could also see talks restart after an impasse late last week.

Despite agreeing on a 5m euro fee (£4.2m), plus a 50 per cent on clause, the La Liga club changed their financial demands, and subsequently, the Tigers moved away.

That switch may well yet happen, but it’s unlikely to come until much closer to the deadline.

Yeremay Hernandez does remain a firm target, and discussions remain ongoing with the Spaniard and Deportivo La Coruna over a club-record move for the winger. City are prepared to wait until the final hours of the window if need be, to get that deal done.

Having spent so much time on the deal over the past few weeks, there would be obvious disappointment if it didn’t get done, and there’s always that risk, but sources remain hopeful that they could yet get it over the line.

As the Mail reported previously, their move for Tim Iroegbunam hit the buffers after he picked up an injury.

As it stands, that move would only now be considered as a loan, and is not currently a likely outcome, despite the Tigers being really keen to sign the 23-year-old.

It could be revisited in January, assuming he doesn’t move elsewhere before then.

Toby Collyer remains on City’s list, and though West Brom were strongly linked with a move for him last week, the Tigers are continuing to monitor the situation.

A permanent deal for the Manchester United midfielder may still happen before next week’s deadline. There are other alternatives, including Chelsea’s Dario Essugo, but a deal for Collyer remains possible.

Bringing in a right-back continues to be a priority. Niccolo Fortini was on the verge of joining City last week before that deal failed to materialise, and there had been a bid in for Marcus Pedersen at Torino.

Cody Drameh had been primed to be moved on, but is determined to stay and fight for his place in the squad, after recovering from a hamstring injury quicker than expected.

As it stands, there are no plans to reignite a move for Aston Villa’s want-away Jamaican international Leon Bailey. That was another switch close to completion after City’s penultimate friendly in Frankfurt, but they’ve pulled the plug on that after growing increasingly frustrated.

Interest is there in Stoke City’s Sorba Thomas, who was a firm target in January 2025 under Ruben Selles.

City has seen an initial bid in the region of £7m knocked back, with the Potters wanting closer to double that. As it stands, that move will not progress because of the Potters’ asking price.