Portsmouth rivals land huge sponsorship deal as Hull City chase Premier League starlet

It’s all calm on the South Coast at the moment with still two weeks to go until the summer transfer window opens up. With no need for the League One play-offs, the Blues squad have been out of action since the end of April and will be benefiting from some much required rest after such an emphatic season.

However, this does not mean the Blues board have been out of action too. The likes of Crystal Palace’s Jadan Raymond, Exeter’s Reece Cole and Jamal Lowe from Bournemouth have all been linked with moves to Fratton Park in order to help strengthen John Mousinho’s soon-to-be Championship competing squad.

As the PO7 bosses continue to assess their transfer options, here is the latest news from Pompey’s 2024/25 second-tier rivals...

Leeds announce new multi-year deal

Leeds, who narrowly missed out on an instant return to the Premier League, have announced a new multi-year agreement with Red Bull which will make the company the club’s front of shirt partner starting next season.

The club has said the deal will ‘bring in commercial revenues a well as additional capital investment for a minority ownership stake that will further enable the club to compete on and off the pitch as they seek promotion next season’, but it is confirmed that both the name and logo of the Elland Road football club will remain unchanged - in other words, we’re not about to see Red Bull Leeds in action any time soon.

Following the announcement that will also see Red Bull become the club’s exclusive energy drink partner, the corporation’s CEO on Corporate Projects and Investments Oliver Mintzlaff indicated taking the club back to the Premier League was of the utmost importance: “We are delighted to be an important element and partner of Leeds United.

“A club that is certainly one of the biggest in England and has a rich and successful history. The ambition is to bring Leeds United back to the Premier League and establish themselves in the best football league in the world fits very well with Red Bull. We look forward to the partnership and are optimistic and energized about the future.”

Hull seek Premier League reunion

Hull City vice-chairman Tan Kesler has said his club, which narrowly missed out on a place in the Championship play-offs, are trying to bring back Liam Delap from Manchester City this summer.

The striker was on loan at the MKM Stadium last season and was an immediate hit scoring eight goals in 32 games for the Tigers. The 21-year-old has since returned to the Premier League Champions, but as Delap endured injury problems this campaign, it would therefore be hugely benefit for him to get more regular game time under his belt

The 21-year-old England youth international has a guaranteed spot in the Hull starting XI, something he would not have at the Etihad and, according to reports from Hull Live, the Tigers’ chairman Acun Ilicali ‘wants him so badly’. The report continued: “If we didn’t have Financial Fair Play and EFL regulations (the chairman) would have literally invested in him and tried to buy him.

“He (Ilicali) is very passionate for football, very passionate for improvement and we like him (Delap) so much. At the end of the day, he belongs to Man City and also he probably has his own agenda. We have to be able to spend money but also generate money for him. A loan back to us could be an option if Man City doesn’t sell him.”