New owner confirmed…

Revealed: Why the Allam family are so keen to sell Hull City to Acun Ilicali

Exclusive: Speaking to Hull Live, Acun Ilicali gives Tigers fans an insight into why the club could soon fall under his ownership

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Hull City's prospective new owner Acun Ilicali (Image: Getty Images)

The Allam family have said for seven years that they’ll only sell Hull City to somebody they believe to be capable of looking after the club, and ensuring it can compete at a higher level.

Acun Ilicali is the man they believe to be a fitting custodian of the club they took over in 2011, with a deal edging closer to competition, according to the fanatical football fan currently in negotiations to buy the Yorkshire outfit.

Ilicali is a staunch Fenerbahce supporter and was financially involved with Dutch outfit Fortuna Sittard last year, before pulling out to focus on owning his own club in England.

He says the process to buy the Tigers from the Allam family began in May when he came to the city to visit the KCOM Stadium as it was then, and looked around the training ground at Cottingham, before the process to take over the club began in June.

The 52-year-old has also been at pains to point out just how helpful and courteous Ehab Allam has been in his discussions over the sale of the club, and what positive financial health City are in compared to many of their Championship rivals, something he gives great credit to them for.

“I was there in May and then in June we started the process. There have been so many details discussed by both sides,” he told Hull Live ahead of his next visit to England in the coming days.

“They (the Allam family) want to sell the club – this is what they’ve said of course – to somebody who can move the club to a higher level and because of that, they know about me.”

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Hull City vice-chairman Ehab Allam (Image: Ben Early/News Images)
Famed in Turkey for owning a raft of television networks, creating popular shows and being among the stars, Ilicali is a relatively new name to many on these shores, but says the Allams have done their research and know he has a trusted reputation, and is here for the right reasons.

“If you ask anybody in Turkey and this is something I’m very proud of, you’ll hear only positives – I don’t like to talk good about myself, but I am in the top five of the most trusted Turkish personalities and this is because of my approach to people.

“I’m very warm and I don’t live my life to entertain just myself, I live my life to try and help people and have good relationships with people.”

City’s prospective new owner has been described by others as 'a warm, approachable and friendly guy’, and says the way he operates is ingrained within is DNA, serving him well throughout his life to date.

“I get that spirit from my mother and father who I lost when I was very young, and this was something they left to me, to be nice to everybody so that your life will be better and better, I have lived by that throughout my life,” he says.

“In Turkey, thank god – I cannot walk in the streets, people will hug me and they would like to take me inside their homes or restaurants, I can’t walk down the streets without getting lots of love and attention.”

Ilicali’s love for sport and in particular, football, is well known in his homeland and despite his affinity for the Istanbul-based club, he was warmly received during the 3-1 defeat at leaders Trabzonspor last month, further highlighting, he says, his ability to unite people, something he’s keen to do in east Yorkshire.

“Don’t forget, I’m a big Fenerbahce fan and the love comes from other teams, too, which makes me very proud,” Ilicali explains.

“I was at the Trabzonspor game last month and even their crazy, fanatical fans wanted pictures with me despite knowing I’m a fanatical Fenerbahce fan.

“I hope to be a good example for young British people and the whole Hull community that we can be together and be stronger, that’s one of my most important aims to help make a big connection with the supporters, to lift this club together.”