Hull City’s £8.5m player sales stave off Premier League sanction

Hull City have confirmed the sale of first‑choice goalkeeper Ivon Pandur to Rangers for £6 million and midfielder Aidon Shehu to Panathinaikos for £2.5 million, moves required to avoid a points deduction after their promotion to the Premier League. The transfers ensure the Tigers remain compliant with the EFL’s profit and sustainability regulations.

Pandur featured in all but one of Hull’s Championship matches last season and kept a clean sheet in the play‑off final against Middlesbrough. His departure removes a key player from the squad as the club prepares for top‑flight football.

The club disclosed an overspend of around £6 million on its profit and sustainability (PSR) calculation, triggered by promotion bonuses in player contracts. Had the overspend not been corrected, Hull could have faced a six‑point penalty under current EFL rules.

Hull’s financial ceiling allows a maximum loss of £39 million over the past three seasons; exceeding this would have breached the PSR limits. The sales of Pandur and Shehu bring the club back within the allowable threshold.

Owner Acun Ilicali explained the situation during a Q&A at the MKM Stadium in early June. "We have overspent and we have to sell some players before 1 July," he said. He added that the club has handled tougher challenges before and that the rise in player values as a Premier League side is an advantage.

The Tigers entered the 2025/26 season restricted to free agents and loans after late transfer payments, causing key loanees such as Joe Gelhardt, John Lundstram and Lewis Koumas to return to their parent clubs. Those constraints contributed to the urgency of the recent sales.

Hull have made no new signings as they ready themselves for a return to the Premier League for the first time since 2017. They will kick off the season against Manchester United on 22 August, while the current PSR rules are being replaced by a squad‑cost ratio system that permits clubs to spend up to 85 percent of their income on the playing squad.