Having joined Hull City for the second half of the season on loan from then-Premier League side Luton Town, defender Ryan Giles has been heavily linked with a move back to the MKM Stadium.
That is despite Luton now being in the Championship and they could be considered as direct rivals for the Tigers. Nonetheless, they seem open to sell, with Giles seemingly out of the picture despite the club dropping down a division.
The left-back would appear 11 times in the top flight last term for the Hatters, five of those being starts. He’d struggle for consistent minutes, something which he’d then get after his January move to Hull. Making 17 appearances, Giles’ impact almost helped the Tigers make the Championship play-offs, though they’d ultimately fall just short, losing to Plymouth Argyle on the final day of the season which would in turn leave them in 7th.
Missing out on the play-offs would also cost manager Liam Rosenior to lose his job and its set to be a summer of change at the club. It will be new manager Tim Walter, who is officially taking over from July, who will have the final say on whether Giles is brought back or not.
It had previously been reported that Hull had the option to permanently sign the left-back for £4 million, but no advancements are yet to be made and there are now serious questions over whether a move is to materialise.
In addition to that, they look to be facing some competition for the defender, with Middlesbrough, who had previously retained an interest in Giles, still monitoring the situation according to The Northern Echo.
Although manager Michael Carrick is happy with his current options in the position, they are still considering a move for the 24-year-old, preferably on a loan. That said interest may in turn lead to Hull acting quicker and they may try to strike a deal with Luton.
Giles is more than proven at the level, as seen through his loan with the Tigers but also through a previous loan with the aforementioned Middlesbrough. Consistent minutes will no doubt get the best out of him and a move away from Kenilworth Road permanently may help him to get that.
Writer’s View
Despite having the option to permanently sign Giles, Hull are yet to make a move but that could be attributed to Walter’s arrival. Nonetheless, with Luton still happy to sell, the door may be open for another club to sign him. Middlesbrough could be the ones to do that but given the fact they’d prefer a loan move, they may also miss out.
Already more than proven in the Championship, Giles would indeed be a good pickup and he’s familiar with the setup at both clubs. It seems unlikely that he’ll be getting in the Luton team next season, and a move this summer is probably the best option for the player.
Senior Editor