Acun Ilicali, the owner of Hull City, has publicly criticized Real Madrid for spreading what he labeled as fabricated stories concerning the Championship club’s supposed interest in Carlos Espi. Following their promotion to the Premier League, Hull City has been actively seeking attacking reinforcements, but Ilicali maintains that the 21-year-old forward was never a target.
Espi officially signed with Real Madrid on July 30 for a reported fee of over £21 million. Addressing claims on social media that suggested Hull City was close to signing the player, Ilicali stated that his club never extended an offer and urged the Spanish giants to focus on their own stature rather than inventing transfer narratives.
The young striker is coming off a successful season with Levante, where he netted 13 goals in 27 appearances. At Real Madrid, he faces stiff competition for playing time alongside stars such as Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Endrick. While they missed out on Espi, Hull City has already been active in the transfer window, securing signings including Jack Butland, Hidemasa Morita, Matt Targett, and Oscar Zambrano.
