Hull City are planning to pursue a free transfer for former Fulham goalkeeper Marek Rodak. However, they face competition from Championship rivals Blackburn Rovers and Derby County, who are also interested in him.
According to transfer expert Alan Nixon on his Patreon account, Hull City are considering a move for former Fulham goalkeeper Marek Rodak on a free transfer, provided certain conditions are met. The Tigers, who are currently rebuilding under German head coach Tim Walter, have just returned from a pre-season camp in Türkiye and are finalizing their transfer strategy for the rest of the summer.
With the new EFL season set to begin against Bristol City on August 10th, Hull’s goalkeeping options are notably thin due to recent injuries and departures. Rodak, who has extensive experience at the second tier from his time in West London and previous loan spells, could address these gaps effectively.
Hull City keen on signing former Fulham goalkeeper Marek Rodak
As noted in Nixon’s latest update, Hull City are eager to sign the 27-year-old Marek Rodak before the new season begins. However, a potential obstacle is the need to meet Rodak’s wage demands, which have reportedly deterred recently relegated Burnley, now managed by Rodak’s former Fulham boss Scott Parker, as well as posing a significant challenge for Blackburn Rovers and Derby County.
| Marek Rodak’s Career in the Premier League/EFL so far | Apps | Clean Sheets |
|---|---|---|
| Fulham | 93 | 38 |
| Accrington Stanley (Loan) | 21 | 8 |
| Rotherham United (Two Loans) | 84 | 18 |
| Total | 198 | 64 |
| All stats as per Transfermarkt (Correct as of 21/07/24) | ||
According to Nixon, Hull City are eager to bring in experienced goalkeeping options following the departures of Ryan Allsop, who was sold to Birmingham City after 37 appearances last season, and Matt Ingram, who moved to newly-promoted Oxford United.
Rodak is also a key target for Derby County, who missed out on former Brighton and Arsenal goalkeeper Mathew Ryan, now with AS Roma. However, Derby faces a similar issue with Rodak’s high wage demands, which are a concern given their current financial situation. The Rams have also shown interest in Leicester City’s Daniel Iversen as a potential alternative.
Hull City’s current goalkeeping situation
Hull City fans are growing frustrated with the transfer window, as despite much talk about new signings, only Ryan Giles has been permanently acquired from Luton Town so far. After Liam Rosenior’s departure in May, chairman Acun Ilicali indicated that January signing Ivor Pandur would likely be the first-choice goalkeeper for the upcoming season. Pandur, who joined from Fortuna Sittard, is still awaiting his Championship debut.
With the exits of Allsop and Ingram, Hull’s goalkeeping options are limited to Harvey Cartwright and Timothee Lo-Tutala, who impressed during loan spells at Grimsby Town and Doncaster Rovers last season but have just one second-tier appearance between them.
Following a 5-1 loss to Fenerbahçe on Thursday, the new head coach expressed concerns about potential “big problems” if the goalkeeper situation is not addressed, especially since both Cartwright and Lo-Tutala have sustained injuries.
Walter told Hull Live, “We’re trying to bring in new players and we need more depth. Right now, we have one senior goalkeeper and two younger goalies from the Under-21s. We’re short on numbers and need to sign another keeper. If Ivor gets injured, we’d be in a difficult situation.
“It’s not just the goalkeeper position; it’s the same issue across the squad. We’re lacking in numbers everywhere.”
Marek Rodak would be a smart addition for Tim Walter and Hull City
If Hull City successfully secures Marek Rodak, it would be highly advantageous for them. Rodak, who served as a backup to Bernd Leno and was on the bench for all of Fulham’s Premier League matches last season, made five appearances in the EFL Cup and FA Cup.
Despite his limited recent playtime, Rodak has proven himself as a reliable goalkeeper. He accumulated 66 appearances over two promotion-winning seasons with Fulham in 2019/20 and 2021/22, with the latter securing the Championship title. Additionally, he made 45 Championship appearances for Rotherham in 2018/19, showing strong performances despite the team’s relegation.
With 111 total Championship appearances and 34 clean sheets, Rodak would provide robust competition for Ivor Pandur. However, Hull would need to address his likely salary of around £15,000 per week from last season to finalize the move.