Hull City are preparing for life back in the Premier League, but their squad still needs plenty of work before they can be considered a competitive force.
The Tigers squeezed into the Championship playoff places on the final day, then shocked Millwall and Middlesbrough to return to the top flight for the first time since 2017 — just a year after finishing 21st and avoiding relegation to League One on goal difference.
So, instead of Bromley and Burton, it’s Arsenal and Man City that Sergej Jakirovic needs to prepare for. It’s been a slow summer so far, however, with Hull’s squad still largely the same as the one that turned out in the second tier months ago.
With that in mind, here are some key areas they still need to strengthen.
Striker
This is mission-critical for Hull.
Oli McBurnie was the hero of their Championship campaign, scoring 17 regular-season goals, before netting the last-gasp winner at Wembley in the playoff final. However, asking him to exclusively carry the load in the Premier League is a major risk.
The 30-year-old has had multiple cracks at the Premier League with both Swansea City and Sheffield United in the past, but has managed just 13 goals in 96 top-flight appearances to date, with six his best single-season return.
That’s not to say that McBurnie won’t offer immense value. Indeed, his physicality, height and hold-up play could prove a nightmare for defenders to deal with.
However, Jakirovic either needs somebody to partner McBurnie in a 3-5-2, or start ahead of him in a 3-4-2-1 — systems that were used throughout last season and relied upon in some of Hull’s biggest games, including their final two playoff clashes. Whichever system is used, Hull must sign a striker who knows where the back of the net is, or they risk being cut adrift due to a simple lack of firepower.
Centre-back
This might just be the most important position for Jakirovic this season, considering he’s likely to play three of them.
The Tigers already have a huge talent at the back in Charlie Hughes, who has been linked with Premier League clubs numerous times over the past 18 months. But beyond the 22-year-old — who faces a battle to be fit for the start of the season following a hernia operation — their choices are thin.
Paddy McNair, John Egan and Semi Ajayi represent their only other natural centre-back options at present. All three are over 30, and Egan is the only one with considerable Premier League experience.
Hull conceded 66 regular-season goals in 2025/26, which was the joint-highest of any side in the Championship top 14 and the fourth-most overall. A surprisingly poor record for a promoted side.
In the Premier League, the Yorkshire outfit are going to face whole new levels of pressure and come up against strikers in a totally different league than they’re used to.
With that in mind, a top-flight-proven leader at the back is a must.
Right-back/wing-back
Hull conducted some smart business by signing Matt Targett on a free transfer, following his strong season with Middlesbrough and reliability over the years at Newcastle. However, they still lack the equivalent quality and Premier League experience on the right.
Club captain Lewie Coyle has been a brilliant servant for Hull, but has never played in the Premier League, while Cody Drameh has failed to lock down his spot.
What the Tigers need is a dynamic, two-way full-back who can match what Targett will give on the opposite flank, and they need one with experience in a top five league, if not the Premier League itself.
The level of winger Hull will face this season is about to step up dramatically as they come up against the likes of Jeremy Doku and Bukayo Saka. They need to make sure they have wing-backs capable of locking those elite stars down, while also delivering dangerous balls into the box and being effective in transition.