He may not have signed Radamel Falcao, but there wasn’t likely to be many Premier League managers as pleased as Steve Bruce on deadline day.
Colombian international Falcao has secured a sensational loan move from Monaco to Manchester United, and this has inevitably made the most headlines on Tuesday morning. Of course, such a signing is beyond the means of the Tigers, let alone the reported £300,000 weekly salary, but Bruce can be delighted with the business he did secure.
Just days after a 2-1 defeat followed their early elimination from the UEFA Europa League, the mood has been lifted at the KC Stadium due to some impressive squad additions. First of all, a replacement for Shane Long, who joined Southampton last month, was secured when a club record fee of around £10million was spent on Abel Hernandez.
Still only 24-years-old, the striker has an impressive goalscoring record for Uruguay, having registered seven goals in 14 international matches. And during the five years he has spent in Italy with Palermo, he has 31 goals in 111 appearances, including 14 last season when he helped the Rosanero win the Serie B title and promotion to the top-flight.
Hernandez, who has signed a three-year contract with the option of a further 12 months, was later followed by Mohamed Diame. Remember, it wasn’t too long ago that the Senegal international was linked with a move to Arsenal. But the Tigers had a surprisingly free run on the 27-year-old midfielder, who was snapped up for just £3.5million.
The former Wigan Athletic ace, who spent three years at the Lancashire club, has been at West Ham United since June 2012. During his time at the capital, he has played 71 times in the league, and has scored seven goals. Diame has signed a three-year contract, and will add some pace and power to Bruce’s options in the heart of the pitch.
Those two deals alone would have been cause for optimism, but it didn’t end there. Another Uruguayan, Gaston Ramirez, has joined on loan for the remainder of the season. The 23-year-old cost Southampton £12million when he signed for them two years ago, and although he has struggled to show the kind of form he produced in Serie A for Bologna, there is no question that the attacking midfielder is a player of great ability.
Whilst Hernandez is seen as the icing on the cake by many, some will feel this phrase should instead be reserved for Hatem Ben Arfa. Here is another player who has been linked with some of the biggest clubs in Europe during his career, as he emerged as one of the best talents in French football during his time at Lyon and Marseille.
It was Newcastle United who took him, initially on loan in 2010, and he has shown moments of brilliance in the Premier League for the Magpies. However, he had a falling out with Alan Pardew, and he will now spend the campaign at the KC Stadium. The 27-year-old will be desperate to prove the St James Park manager wrong, and he will also be eager to return to the plans of Les Bleus ahead of Euro 2016 which is being held in his homeland.
All in all, it has been a good window for Hull. As well as the above, they have also added the likes of Michael Dawson and Jake Livermore from Tottenham Hotspur, Tom Ince from Blackpool and, although he faces a lengthy layoff with injury, Robert Snodgrass from Norwich City. Having finished 16th in the Premier League last season, Bruce may now feel he has the tools at his disposal to make a charge for a top-ten finish.
Hull fans, what do you make of your summer business? And which signing are you most excited about? Let us know your thoughts by joining in the discussion below!
