Hull City: ⁠Ruben Selles simply has to act now to seal new agreement for Brazilian star | OneFootball

Hull do have the option of extending the striker's short-term contract

The final three months of Hull City's season will no doubt have huge implications on the landscape of Ruben Selles' squad heading into 2025/26.

Despite a largely successful first transfer window under the Spaniard, the Tigers continue to look over their shoulders in the fight against the drop, a theme which continued on Saturday as relegation rivals Derby County secured a late point at Carrow Road, meaning City sit just one point above the bottom three ahead of an encounter with Burnley at Turf Moor.

Many factors have caused the current predicament in East Yorkshire to pan out, even though there is no disputing that Selles' squad is in a much stronger position than it was on January 1st.

And, whilst the key focus is securing Championship survival in the 16 games which remain, discussions will be held behind-the-scenes regarding those who have somewhat uncertain futures at the MKM Stadium beyond June 30th.

The experienced Joao Pedro is one of those, and the Hull hierarchy may have to act swiftly to secure his signature for next season, with the 32-year-old being a strong performer in Black and Amber.

Joao Pedro's experience has helped Hull City this season

Pedro has been well-travelled over the course of his 15-year senior career, with his best spell coming in Serie A with Cagliari, as an eight-year stint yielded 86 goals and 28 assists in 271 appearances.

It's not hard to see why the Brazilian-Italian performed at such a high level and earned a solitary cap for the 'Azzurri', despite enduring a rather luckless period at Fenerbahçe and Gremio in recent seasons.

Despite the flaws which have been associated with some of Hull's recruitment since Acun Ilicali's takeover in January 2022, the decision to acquire Pedro on a free transfer in September amid a lack of attacking options under Tim Walter has proven to be inspired, with Selles in particular, the beneficiary.

Featuring in a side which has struggled to convert chances on a consistent basis, the veteran frontman's performances have often gone under the radar, showcasing a strong variety of goals, having great in-game intelligence when linking up with his teammates, as well as his off-ball movement.

He was somewhat ridiculed for only having five touches of the ball in the 1-1 draw with Burnley in late October, but since netting the first of his five goals thus far in the subsequent home outing with Portsmouth on November 2nd, Pedro has become an influential figure, impacting games both as a starter and as a substitute, which means Hull must exercise the one-year extension in his deal as soon as possible.

Joao Pedro could be key for Hull City next season if survival is secured

Of course, Pedro's situation in HU3 could hinge on whether City are able to beat the drop and avoid a second stint in League One in the last ten years.

Whilst his estimated salary isn't yet documented on Capology, you would assume that the striker is earning a pretty penny given his prior exploits, and based on that, spending a season in the third tier would hardly be attractive from a financial and playing point of view.

In recent games, particularly on the road, we have already seen flashes of a fluid attack from the Tigers, with Joe Gelhardt, Matt Crooks, Kyle Joseph and Abu Kamara all making strong contributions, with the recent 3-0 success at Sheffield United epitomising such circumstances.

Furthermore, it has also been reported by Hull Live that Aston Villa loanee, Louie Barry, could remain in East Yorkshire on a temporary basis next term if his initial loan stint goes to plan, with the 21-year-old likely to come under the microscope for his performances after his debut against Stoke City on February 2nd.

If that was to be the case, Pedro's influence would only better those around him who are inexperienced in comparison, and there could be shades of Dean Windass and Frazier Campbell's partnership in 2007/08, as well as Hull benefitting from the striker staying in a settled environment, given his record at the Estadio Sant'Elia between 2014 and 2022.