Hull City owner Acun Ilicali has expressed his "disturbed" feelings regarding transfer rumors claiming the club has been rejected by targets. In an unusual public statement, Ilicali sought to clarify the situation as Hull prepares for their return to the Premier League after a nine-year absence.

So far, Hull has secured goalkeeper Jack Butland, midfielder Oscar Zambrano, and defender Matt Targett. Ilicali posted a cryptic update on social media, listing confirmed signings and then using country flags with percentages to indicate potential deals. Notably, the Japan flag appeared with 99%, suggesting a potential move for midfielder Hidemasa Morita, a deal of which BBC Radio Humberside has reported an agreement. Other flags, including Greece and Sweden, showed 90% completion, while Australia, Croatia, and Portugal were at 80%.

This comes after manager Sergej Jakirovic mentioned being close to signing Olympiakos goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis. Ilicali also recently revealed the club secured a £55m bridging loan to strengthen its financial position for transfers, underscoring their commitment to building a competitive squad for the 2026-27 campaign.