Hull City are edging closer to signing Swedish left-back Elliot Stroud after Mjällby AIF’s sporting director confirmed talks are at an advanced stage.
The Tigers, who finished 6th in the Championship last season with 73 points from 46 games, have been linked with Stroud since Genoa cooled their interest in early July. A Hull City move would hand the 24-year-old his first taste of Premier League football after Mjällby’s Champions League qualifier win over Lincoln Red Imps FC on Tuesday.
Mjällby sporting director Hasse Larsson told Expressen the ball is now firmly in Hull City’s court. “It’s pretty much unchanged, actually. He’s our player for a while yet,” he said. “Yes, what can I say. The ball is actually in their court. We’ve said what we think and want, then we’ll see. It’s up to them to get back to us.”
Larsson insisted the sticking point isn’t money but a “small detail” - widely believed to be a sell-on clause. “No, it’s other things, really. We agree on most things. It’s just a small detail, but it’s still up to them,” he added. Genoa remain interested, but Larsson claimed Stroud favours Hull City. “Genoa still really want him, but I don’t think Elliot wants to go there right now anyway, so it’s probably them [Hull City],” he said.
Hull City, who beat Middlesbrough 1-0 on May 23rd, sit 22 points behind league leaders Coventry and have won their last four games. The Tigers’ recent form (4W-1D-0L) and their push for a top-six finish make Stroud a shrewd addition if the deal goes through.
The club’s interest in Stroud comes as they look to bolster their defence ahead of a fresh Championship campaign. With the Tigers already 70 goals scored and 66 conceded last season, a reliable left-back could be the final piece in Sergej Jakirović’s puzzle.
Hull City’s transfer business has been quiet this summer, but a Stroud deal would mark their first major incoming move since the close-season. The club’s hierarchy will hope the Swede can provide the steel they need to push on from last year’s sixth-place finish.
