Hull City owner Acun Ilicali makes Ryan Giles transfer admission amid Middlesbrough talks

Owner Acun Ilicali has echoed his sentiments throughout the summer that he will not stand in anyone's way if they wish to leave Hull City, amid a growing expectation that Ryan Giles will complete a move to Middlesbrough.

Giles completed a permanent move to City at the back end of June after the Tigers carried out their obligations as per the terms of their loan agreement with Luton Town, which was signed in January when the left-back arrived at the MKM Stadium amid a busy month of transfer activity.

That meant City were compelled to sign Giles for a fee in the region of £4m but in recent weeks, both clubs have been working on a deal to take the 24-year-old back to Teesside on a permanent deal, which would see him link up with Michael Carrick once more with sources indicating to Hull Live that the player is keen on the move which is continuing to progress.

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The pair struck up a close relationship in the 2022/23 campaign when Giles spent the season on loan at the Riverside Stadium from Wolves, with Boro ultimately falling just short of a place in the Championship play-off final after losing to Coventry City, but the Telford-born star was a popular, and influential figure in the Riverside dressing room.

Boro were unable to do a permanent deal for Giles and he eventually moved to newly-promoted Premier League outfit Luton for a club-record £5m fee, but played just 11 times before joining City in the winter window.

New Tigers head coach Tim Walter and his players head out to Istanbul on Wednesday morning for their 10-day training camp, but it remains to be seen if Giles will be part of the travelling party amid the ongoing discussions with Boro.

"About Giles, if he wants to go to Middlesbrough, we will let him go. For me, players' happiness is the most important thing," Ilicali told Hull Live.

"As you saw last year, so many big names came to us in the Championship, like Fabio Carvalho and Tyler Morton from the big clubs, so we will bring in new boys. I'm sure we will be in a good place with my team."

Giles is City's only senior summer signing so far, but with two possible arrivals on the horizon this week, he says he feels their recruitment policy is in safe hands, despite growing concern from supporters.

"I would say that we are working a lot," he said. "Don't forget the same guys who made last year's team will make another team this year, so because of that, I want our fans to believe in us.

"Our football operation, I think, is in safe hands and I'm always on the inside. I don't want anybody to misunderstand that me being Fenerbahce vice-president is affecting my concentration and passion with Hull City, because, as I've explained before, I'm crazy about football.

"Fenerbahce was already a big part of my world and my life before I came to Hull City, of course now, I have more responsibility with Fenerbahce but football is my life."