Hull City could unlock Abel Hernandez 2.0 with pursuit of ex-Valencia man.
Hull City’s season hasn’t exactly gone as planned so far, despite being just five encounters into the campaign.
Understandably, such a high turnover of players with 16 new faces in total replacing 20 outgoings, plenty of which were high-profile, as well as a new-look squad getting to grips with Tim Walter’s method of ‘heart-attack football’ would always take a reasonable amount of time to adjust to.
However, whilst a slow start was anticipated, not many could have foreseen the problems which have occurred at the MKM Stadium after just five Championship games, with City sat in 22nd place, winless whilst only scoring one goal from open play under the German’s management so far.
Whilst Walter hardly endeared himself to supporters with his post-match assessment of the recent 2-0 defeat to Sheffield United last Friday, to give him some credit, a number of signings showcase an abundance of future potential, such as Mason Burstow, Charlie Hughes, Oscar Zambrano and Abu Kamara.
However, in the short-term and based off the first five games, chance creation and a real ruthlessness has been severely lacking, and the signing of an ex-Valencia man on a free transfer would add great experience and depth, whilst potentially rekindling his own career in the process.
An audacious pursuit of Maxi Gomez would be ideal for Hull City.
Although his recent record would potentially suggest otherwise, but a chance for Maxi Gomez to resurrect prior goalscoring form in East Yorkshire would signal another big-name arrival for the Championship side.
This is something Hull fans have grown accustomed to since Acun Ilicali’s takeover in January 2022, which has seen the likes of Jaden Philogene, Jean Michael Seri, Ozan Tufan and Fabio Carvalho don the Black and Amber.
And, whilst the chance to call upon the services of a man who has records such as 72 goal contributions in 198 La Liga outings for the likes ofCelta Vigo, Valencia and Cadiz, a pursuit of the 32-cap international would also fill somewhat of a void in the Tigers squad.
The aforementioned Burstow and Chris Bedia, who has an option-to-buy clause inserted in his loan move from Union Berlin, are currently the only two natural centre-forwards on the club’s books, meaning that there is real scope for concern in terms of a replacement in a matchday squad should either sustain a serious injury, having sold Oscar Estupinan to Mexican side FC Juarez in late August.
However, whilst both have shown the occasional glimpse of what’s to come, stats such as an average of 3 shots on target per game for the side as a whole is extremely below-par.
City have already utilised the free agent market with the signing of former Brighton midfielder Steven Alzate, and with many other positions on the park fairly stacked, the one area that will be pinpointed for further depth is the striking department, and with Gomez still without a club since his release from Trabzonspor last month for a reported compensation fee of €700,000, he is one of many attackers who should fall on the club’s radar.
Despite netting just 19 goals across the last four seasons, which included no goals in 33 appearances for Cadiz last term, Gomez’s prior form at Celta Vigo and his early time at the Mestalla, which saw 41 goals bagged over three seasons, proves the damage he can cause to opposition defences when at his composed best, which has unfortunately been lacking in recent times from his point of view.
Another factor to put into the mix of this potential pursuit is his previous spell at Papara Park, and given Hull’s Turkish connections, a deal wouldn’t perhaps be beyond the realms of possibility, and at 28, Gomez will feel he can still contribute plenty to any side, although he is yet to feature for a second tier side in his career to date.
