Another Championship club in trouble as Coventry City rivals hit by EFL transfer punishment
Latest Coventry City news as Championship rivals Hull City join Sheffield Wednesday in being subject to transfer embargo
Hull City have been slapped with a transfer embargo that will prevent them from paying any fee for a player until January 2027.
The club – Coventry City’s opponents when the new Championship season begins on August 9 – have been punished by the EFL amid mounting concerns over their finances after they were late with payments for the loan of Aston Villa winger Louie Barry back in January.
Plenty of other Championship clubs had been keen on the player too, but backed away from a deal because of the cost – said to be a £1m loan fee plus the player’s wage of around £25,000-a-week.
There are conflicting reports over whether Hull have now paid Villa what they were owed, but the Football League remains unhappy with the delay and the Tigers have now been hit with an embargo.
It is a similar situation at Sheffield Wednesday, where failure to pay players and staff has sparked action by the EFL.
An appeal over embargoes can be lodged, and Hull are confident it is one they can win, but there are further concerns over their outstanding debts to other creditors, as well as other clubs yet to be paid for previous transfers.
Hull, who are at the CBS Arena for a 12.30pm kick-off, will still be able to sign players on free transfers, but the situation has only served to heighten anxiety around the club’s financial position after they posted losses of £60m in their last set of accounts.
The Tigers have been big spenders in the division since Acun Ilicali bought the club three years ago, but it has not been rewarded with Premier League football, instead blighted by hirings and firings.
Liam Rosenior was sacked in 2024 after finishing seventh in his first season before being replaced by Tim Walter, who lasted only four months.
He was replaced by Ruben Selles in December last year but he was sacked at the end of last season as the club finished just above the relegation zone. He has now been replaced by Sergej Jakirović.
This week Ilicali told supporters at a forum that Hull do not have financial problems. And in an interview with BBC Radio Humberside, tried to reassure over the Tigers’ mounting debts.
“We don’t owe any money to anybody – the club owes money to me and I am the owner,” Ilicali said.
“I am spending from my pocket but we have extremely good players in the squad. I can say to the fans do not be under stress, we are fine.”
Wednesday are already officially under an embargo and wantaway manager Danny Rohl’s coaching staff have effectively left the club this week as they came to the end of their contracts.
Henrik Pedersen has been earmarked as a potential Rohl replacement and the future of Sascha Lense and Chris Powell is up in the air, but goalkeeper coach Sal Bibbo has got himself a new club, joining Russell Martin at Rangers.
The Sheffield Star reports: “The appointment puts the first full stop on the dismantling of Röhl’s backroom staff as Wednesday head into what remains a difficult summer. The departure of the German coach is expected with discussions entering formative stages.”
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