He isn’t no, but then no striker is irreplaceable if you are prepared for them leaving and do your work well in advance. Or if you have Peterborough, Brighton or Brentford’s scouting networks.
Irreplaceable? No, you're correct, no one is. But Estupinan was replaced by Philogene. Philogene was replaced by Pedro. Pedro is replaced by [insert name here]. We move on to move on and nothing stays the same. So we don't move on.
And... Estupinan 13 Philogene 12 Pedro 6 Let's hope insert name here reverses that particular trend....
I think Pedro would have had more than either of the aforementioned if he’d played in either of those teams. This seems like a massive mistake to me unless if he’s on an enormous wage.
Apologies if previously posted, too tired and too late to look back over this thread. This doesn’t sound like he’s for the under 21s development squad… After securing our first summer signing with Reda Laalaoui last week, we spoke with leading African journalist Micky Junior to provide an expert analysis on our new recruit. please log in to view this image HC: Micky Junior, thanks for joining us first and foremost. What is your opinion on Reda’s move to Hull City? MJ: Reda’s move to Hull City is a bold and clever decision. It’s great for both the player and the club. At 20, it’s the perfect age to step into European football, and Hull City offers the right environment for his development and transition. This is going to be a great piece of recruitment. Kudos to Hull’s scouting team; they’ve done fantastic work keeping tabs on such a talented lad. If all goes well, this could be a real win for both sides and open doors for more talents from Morocco and Africa at large. HC: What can Hull City fans expect from Reda? MJ: Hull City fans can expect a dynamic and technically gifted midfielder in Reda. He is a player full of potential who blends flair with hard work, effort and creativity. Reda is a raw gem. He can play as a number eight or even as a number six when needed. A couple of times, he’s been tested in the number 10 role too. He’s a complete midfield package. Reda has that signature North African grit. He presses relentlessly with fighting spirit. While he’s not a prolific goalscorer, he has the ability to make surprise runs into the box and shoot from distance. One strike from him can shift momentum in a game. I love how intelligently he finds space. He’s not one to hold on to the ball too long — he progresses it quickly and with intent. Reda has the confidence to glide past players regardless of their size or strength. HC: What are Reda’s best attributes? MJ: Reda’s standout qualities include tactical flexibility, technical skill, close control, short-burst pace and intelligence. He plays with confidence and is never afraid to try something new. He’s a risk-taker for himself and the team. His ability to adapt across any midfield role makes him unique. He’s truly a rising star. Thanks to his pace, he can initiate counter-attacks quickly and break away from markers. Agile, with quick feet and impressive body control, Reda reads the game well and makes smart decisions in seconds. HC: Over the course of his short professional career, Reda has played in a number of positions in midfield and out wide on the right. What do you believe is his natural position and why? MJ: Given his attributes and performances so far, Reda’s natural position is central midfield — as a number eight. This role allows him to combine technical ability, spatial awareness, vision and energy. He’s competent, though not elite — yet. He’s dangerous when breaking lines at speed and has shown an impressive understanding of how to position himself to receive the ball and transition quickly from defence to attack. HC: Reda came through the youth system at his hometown club and has since played over 50 senior games for Fath Union Sport. How has he performed and developed from when he first made his debut to now? MJ: Reda’s journey from Fath Union Sport’s academy to becoming one of the top young midfielders in the Botola Pro is a story of maturity, confidence and evolution. He has grown from a tidy academy product into a well-rounded, forward-thinking midfielder, ready for European football. His steady rise at FUS Rabat laid a strong foundation, and now at Hull, he’s entering the next phase of his career with both confidence and credibility. His performances for Morocco’s Under-20s reflected his upward trajectory — controlling play, scoring and leading from midfield against continental opponents. For his age, his composure in big matches is remarkable. He’s become more vocal, more influential in dictating tempo, and his defensive awareness has improved significantly, not to mention his ability to take on defenders centrally and thread vertical passes between the lines. He’s learned when to sit and when to push forward — a sign of his growing football IQ. HC: Not many City fans will have watched the Moroccan League. Are there many similarities to the Sky Bet Championship? MJ: The Moroccan League, called the Botola Pro, is one of Africa’s strongest. There are differences compared to the Championship, but also similarities that will help Reda adapt. Botola is extremely competitive, especially in the title race, which often resembles the intensity of Championship play-offs. Physicality, especially in midfield battles and defensive duels, is part of the game in Morocco, so Reda won’t be new to contact or pressure. Clubs like Raja, Wydad and FUS play under huge fan pressure, much like Championship clubs pushing for promotion or survival. However, the Championship is notably faster. Reda will need to make quicker decisions and adjust to a more direct, physical pace. He’ll also need to hit the gym, bulk up and condition his body for the demanding schedule. The weather and match intensity will take time to get used to, but his stamina, consistency, and recovery habits will be key in managing the grind of 40+ matches a season. HC: We’ve seen a few Moroccan players play for Hull City recently in Anass Zaroury and Nordin Amrabat. Is Hull City growing in popularity in Morocco, especially with the signing of Reda? MJ: Hull City’s profile is genuinely growing in Morocco. Everyone knows the club, and Reda’s signing will only increase the spotlight. If things go well, expect to see a surge of Moroccan and African fans across social media supporting him. There will be regular press and media coverage. Journalists like me will want to visit, cover games, and follow his progress. This could spark a strong relationship between Hull and talent from Morocco and Africa. Expect buzz online whenever Reda scores or assists. Trust me — it’ll be electric! HC: You mentioned earlier about Reda and his involvement for Morocco Under-20s. Having 24 caps to his name, he recently played a key role in the 2025 AFCON U20 tournament. How did he perform? MJ: Reda was a standout at the U20 AFCON tournament. I was there — I saw it firsthand! He was consistently excellent for Morocco. Although the team didn’t lift the trophy, Reda showcased his class and what he’s capable of in the years ahead. He was assigned to link defence and attack, progress the ball quickly, and dictate the tempo. He often dropped deep to support the backline, held shape when protecting a lead, and helped create overloads in advanced areas. His coach clearly trusted him. He didn’t score, but he was heavily involved throughout. Hull have signed a player who delivers under pressure and on big stages. HC: And finally, with him performing for his country at Under-20s level, how soon do you believe he will receive a first team call-up to Morocco now he is at Hull? MJ: He’s already on the radar of Morocco’s national team coach, Walid Regragui, and I expect a senior call-up within the next 15/20 months. If Reda settles quickly at Hull, we might even see him called up sooner. I’ve already heard from people close to the national team that Walid is a big admirer. He’s watched Reda’s games and even spoken to him twice during the tournament. The future is bright. I can’t wait to watch him at the MKM Stadium. Wishing Reda and Hull City all the best in the upcoming season!
Not sure I agree when our other options are 5 mil Spunked on Bairstow and (can’t even remember his name)….
It's four years in a row isn't it? Because in 2022 we sold KLP. The year before that our top scorer was Wilks and we didn't sell him straight away but he did fall straight out of the side, and the year before that we sold Bowen part way through the season, so it's five seasons out of the last six that our top scorer has left the club, and the one who didn't leave immediately left a year later having barely played in the meantime. When you look at it like that, it's no bloody wonder we've struggled to score for years. We build a new attack every year, even for a couple of years prior to Acun.
I've said this a few times but we churn through attacking players like it's nothing then complain when we don't have a coherent, fluid attack. Our defence has by and large been unchanged for a while now (or has a few very consistent pieces in it) and it's a strength of ours as a result. Perhaps instead of looking to move Kamara on we keep him in the side and let him continue to develop..?
I agree with you that he's a quality player, capable of far more than the 6 goals he got last season if he was part of a better team, and it's a shame to lose him. But if he wants to go it's hard to avoid, and getting a fee for someone who was only signed as a presumably expensive stop gap is reasonable business financially. At some point we have to start building a team and stop this endless churn, but Pedro was probably never realistically someone to build that around.
Yeah, it does my head in. Both Acun and the Allams have talked about emulating Brentford but they never seem to have the conviction to actually try the key thing Brentford do which is build things over time and stick to the plan. I always think about KLP and how he came good after 2-3 years there but they stuck by him that whole time. Even when he wasn't playing at first, and we were by all accounts looking to get him back on loan, they stood by him and he didn't even want to come back. Both sides obviously believed in each other and as they always seem to, they made it work in time. I just can't imagine us doing that with a player who doesn't immediately impress.
Blows hot and cold for me. Scored that good goal at Bristol City but IMO I don't think he can cut it week in week out at Championship level. He has obviously been a very good player in his time and I wish we'd have had him in his prime, but at his age, thanks for the memories and good luck for the future, we and he moves on.
I'd be keeping Kamara anyway, I think he's a talented lad who showed real determination to keep his place in the side and show why we signed him. Even after all the crap we went through with his social media mistake. He was inconsistent for a while, but he's one of those players that you absolutely want in your side.
Baz has done a fair few pieces on Lewis O’Brien now. Must be some confidence from the club that it could come off. Socks would be off.
