Hull City targeting free agent Dan Neil

Premier League new boys Hull City are reported to be chasing the signature of free agent Dan Neil in a bid to bolster their midfield ahead of the new season.

The Tigers earned their return to the top flight with a dramatic win over Middlesbrough at Wembley last month in the Championship play-off final, with Oli McBurnie netting the only goal of the game in the 95th minute.

Now they are reportedly looking to beat the Teessiders in the race to capture departing Sunderland midfielder Neil, 24.

Boss Sergej Jakirovic has led the Humberside outfit back to the Premier League for the first time since the 2016/17 season.

Hull City are 6/4 to finish bottom next season, while they can be backed at 12/5 to avoid relegation.

Neil on the move

Neil grew up a Sunderland fan in South Shields and made his debut for the Black Cats in 2018, going on to feature more than 200 times for the Wearside club.

He was a mainstay as they won promotion from the Championship in 2024-25 but made only three Premier League appearances for Regis Le Bris' side last season.

He was loaned out to Ipswich Town in January and helped the Tractor Boys secure automatic promotion featuring 16 times, though as yet the Portman Road club have not looked for a permanent deal.

Neil is out of contract at Sunderland this month and set to depart his boyhood club.

Tigers enter the race

With a move on the cards the well-regarded defensive midfielder is attracting plenty of interest.

A short hop across the north-east to Middlesbrough has been mooted, with midfield ace Hayden Hackney set to leave the Riverside this summer amid Premier League interest.

Hull denied Middlesbrough their spot in the Premier League in the Championship play-off final, and could now be set to put a damper on their summer rebuild, with Kim Hellberg's side rated 10/3 to earn promotion next season.

Scottish Premiership side Rangers are also rumoured to be in the mix, with the Ibrox outfit reportedly seeking an update on Neil's intentions sooner rather than later as they look to bounce back from finishing behind Celtic and Hearts in a pulsating title race north of the border.

Hull expecting significant spend

While Neil could join on a free transfer, Hull's powerbrokers are aware that a major spend is needed this summer to strengthen their squad for the Premier League.

The Championship final win is anticipated to have banked in excess of £200m, though Hull City's head of recruitment, Martin Hodge, suggests only around half of that is likely to be spent on player recruitment.

"I think Sunderland have spent £200m [last summer], that's what it takes to stay in the division, so I don't think we're going to get anywhere near that," he told Hull Live.

"I think we'll get £100m (to spend), I don't know, I'm only guessing, but if we get half of it, we've got to spend it wisely."

Changes already under way at MKM Stadium

Hull are already in the process of re-assessing their squad for the Premier League. Goalkeeper Harvey Cartwright has had a one-year extension activated on his deal after spending time on loan at Hartlepool United last season.

Midfielder Harry Vaughan will leave on 30th June when his current deal runs out, while loan deals have ended for Joe Gelhardt, Toby Collyer, Amir Hadziahmetovic, Yu Hirakawa, Lewis Koumas and John Lundstram.

Neil's experience could prove a useful addition to the Hull engine room as he seeks a proper tilt at the Premier League following that limited impact with Sunderland.

With lots of experience in the Championship, Neil is a player Hull seemingly believe can impact their midfield next season.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.