Hull City goalkeeper Ryan Allsop completes permanent MKM Stadium exit

Hull City goalkeeper Ryan Allsop has completed a permanent move away from the MKM Stadium as the club conducts its first piece of transfer business in the summer window.

Allsop has joined Birmingham City on a permanent deal after the two clubs agreed an undisclosed fee for the 32-year-old stopper signing a three-year contract, who arrived late in last summer's window after former boss Liam Rosenior made him one of his prime targets.

The experienced gloveman, who was born in Birmingham, played 37 times in the Championship for City following his switch from Cardiff City, keeping 10 clean sheets and in joining the Blues, will notch up a 10th permanent club.

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Allsop's form dipped in the early part of the New Year and that, coupled with the £1.5m arrival of Ivor Pandur, created friction between Rosenior and owner Acun Ilicali, who felt the ex-Derby County and West Brom goalkeeper should have been rested.

Ilicali, speaking at a fans' Q&A event in the days following Rosenior's sacking early last month, explained his reasoning for believing Allsop should have been taken out of the team, before moving to clarify his comments after the appointment of new head coach Tim Walter.

"I want our fans to understand something very clearly," Ilicali said on the subject of the goalkeepers following the appointment of Tim Walter. "Pandur played in the Dutch league for two seasons, all the games, and was so successful. The Dutch Premier League is on the same level as the Championship.

"We are talking about an Under-21 Croatian international who had two very successful seasons in the Dutch league. When we brought him I didn't say to Liam one time he should play. I never, never said, 'Liam, play Pandur.' No. I imagined he is our first choice but who is the best will play. It's always the coach's decision and the coach's responsibility."

Allsop's departure means Walter will kick off pre-season training on Monday week with Pandur, Matt Ingram, Harvey Cartright and Thimothee Lo-Tutala as his goalkeeping group.