3 weeks ago
Hull City owner Acun Ilicali has publicly criticized Real Madrid, accusing the Spanish giants of generating "false narratives" regarding the Championship playoff winners' rumored pursuit of forward Carlos Espi.
The Tigers, who secured promotion to the Premier League after winning the EFL Championship play-off final in May, are actively searching for a new striker to bolster their squad for the upcoming top-flight campaign. This search led to reports linking them with Espi, the former Levante player.
However, the 21-year-old towering striker finalized a permanent move to Real Madrid on Thursday, July 30. He joined Jose Mourinho's squad for a transfer fee reported to exceed £21 million, which was believed to be his release clause.
Following the transfer, Ilicali clarified that Hull City had no intention of signing the forward. Responding directly to claims made by a Real Madrid aggregator account on the social media platform X, the Hull owner denied making any bid for the player.
"Guys, your club is big enough without making fake stories about Hull City. We never made any offer, we wish him the best in Real Madrid," Ilicali wrote.
Espi enjoyed a breakout campaign prior to the start of the
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