Hull City linked with double Reading FC transfer raid | OneFootball

Ruben Selles made the switch from Reading to Hull City earlier this month

Hull City have been linked with a double raid of Reading in January following the appointment of Ruben Selles.

According to Football Insider and Hull Live, both Harvey Knibbs and Lewis Wing have been touted with a move to the Championship side.

Selles has arrived at the MKM Stadium as the replacement to Tim Walter following the German’s dismissal at the end of November.

Knibbs and Wing were both crucial players for the Royals under Selles, featuring 16 and 19 times for the club in League One so far this season, respectively.

Hull City eye Reading duo

While it has been claimed that Hull agreed with Reading to avoid making any moves for Selles’ former players in January, it is understood that the financial situation at the third tier club leaves them open to agreements at the right price.

It remains to be seen what kind of figure the Berkshire outfit would be looking for in order to cash in on the two stars.

However, their limited resources means they might be open to a deal at a reasonable cost for Hull as they could be desperate for funds by the time the winter market opens.

Selles had to deal with serious financial constraints behind the scenes at Reading due to uncertainty surrounding the ownership.

These concerns have yet to go away, with a change in ownership needed to resolve these issues.

With Selles’ move to the Tigers, it has led to speculation surrounding the January market.

Knibbs and Wing are both believed to be a target for the Championship side, and Reading are reportedly willing to waive the agreement in place as part of Selles’ departure if Hull make an offer they deem acceptable.

Reading’s financial position gives Hull negotiating leverage

Given Reading will likely be in desperate need of funds in January, they are a club that could be vulnerable to transfer sales when the market opens.

It is only natural that Selles will be considering moves for some of his former players, and Wing and Knibbs would be two obvious picks.

While this agreement was in place as part of the compensation package paid to bring him to Hull, their poor negotiating position in the market does leave the door open for Hull to put in bids.

They may still need to pay slightly over the market value relative to what another Championship side might need to, but if they face no competition for their signature then Reading might just be open to sales anyway.