Brighton and Hove Albion player to leave for Championship side permanently in £700k deal

Championship outfit Hull City have completed the permanent signing of Brighton and Hove Albion wide man Ryan Longman for a £700,000 fee, as per The Athletic (31/1; 2:05pm).

The 21-year-old has been an integral part of the Tigers’ plans this term, arriving on a loan deal from the Amex Stadium during the summer when the club were still under a transfer embargo and establishing himself as one of the first names on the teamsheet in recent months.

It was unclear as to whether the second-tier side were going to be able to make this deal a permanent move when he first arrived, due to the embargo caused by the previous owners taking out a loan from the Premier League and EFL to manage the costs of the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, the arrival of new shareholder Acun Ilicali has completely changed the Tigers’ transfer policy, with the Turkish businessman paying off the loan owed to the PL/EFL and with that, enabling the club to spend in the latter stages of this month.

Although the imminent £5m arrival of Allayhar Sayyadmanesh catches the eye, many Hull fans will be just as delighted to see Longman sign for the club on a longer-term agreement after seeing him make 19 Championship appearances this term, recording three goals and four assists in the process.

He thrived as a wing-back under previous boss Grant McCann, proving to be a crucial figure under the Northern Irishman and looks set to be important for Shota Arveladze after starting in the Georgian’s first game in charge last weekend.

The Verdict:

Ilicali may want to make a statement of intent with big-money signings, but making this addition is more important and is a fantastic deal for just six figures considering how important he’s been for the second-tier club.

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