Hull City can re-sign Fabio Carvalho this summer on one key condition | OneFootball

Hull City should plot to re-sign Fabio Carvalho this summer if they are promoted to the Premier League

Hull City should know if they are a Premier League club or not in less than a week, with a date with Southampton at Wembley in the Championship play-off final scheduled this weekend, pending the outcome of the now infamous 'spygate' scandal.

At the moment, only Hull are guaranteed to be in the Championship play-off final.

Southampton and Middlesbrough nervously await the outcome of the 'spygate' scandal, which has dominated headlines over the past week or so, after a Saints analyst was reportedly caught videoing Boro's training sessions.

Understandably, Kim Hellberg's side were furious with this revelation, and have done everything they can to see Southampton kicked out of the play-offs entirely, though with the outcome of Southampton's punishment yet to be announced, both clubs wait in anticipation.

Hull, meanwhile, will be purely focused on themselves and will head out onto the pitch at Wembley without the scandal surrounding them, which could well play to their advantage.

Sergej Jakirovic has done a sensational job at the MKM Stadium and is now one game away from returning the Tigers to the top flight, and should they be successful in their endeavours, the Bosnian should plot the return of a former loan star over the summer.

Hull City should look to bring Fabio Carvalho back to the club this summer if they are promoted to the Premier League

It hasn't been a quiet season for Hull, though it seemingly rarely is.

Heading into the summer window, the club was hit with a two-window transfer embargo, restricting them from signing any players for fees, relying solely on loans and free transfers, whilst Jakirovic arrived from Turkey as an unknown quantity, as many had tipped the Tigers for relegation.

Indeed, when you look at the Opta expected Championship table, only Sheffield Wednesday are beneath Hull for expected points, as they have been immensely clinical in attack, strong in defence despite the amount of chances they give up, and very lucky along the way.

Though there was nothing lucky about their semi-final victory over Millwall, as Hull deservedly earned their spot at Wembley, and are now one game away from a first top-flight return since 2017.

Huge improvements must be made during the summer window in the event of promotion, and one of those incomings they should look to make should be that of Brentford attacking-midfielder Fabio Carvalho.

The Portuguese youth international came through the ranks at Fulham and burst onto the scene with ten goals and eight assists in his first full year of professional football during the 2021/22 season in the Championship.

He'd earn a move to Liverpool shortly after for a mere £5 million, though would struggle to earn game time at Anfield, heading out on loan to RB Leipzig without much more success, and then Hull for the second half of the 2023/24 campaign.

Under Liam Rosenior, Carvalho scored nine and assisted twice in just 20 league appearances in the Championship, as Hull narrowly missed out on a place in the play-offs.

With the likes of Liam Delap, Tyler Morton, Jaden Philogene, and Jacob Greaves playing alongside him, Carvalho thrived, and there could be a good argument made that their side from two years ago is significantly more talented than their current one.

The 23-year-old would join Brentford for £27.5 million following his loan spell, but has made just 33 appearances across all competitions over the last couple of years, struggling to nail down a place in the side when fit, whilst an ACL injury sustained in November 2025 has kept him out of action since.

Once he returns to fitness, how big of a role he will play for the Bees remains to be seen, and he will need consistent game time if he is to ever hit the heights he has previously shown he is capable of in the Championship.

Under contract in West London for another three years, it's unlikely that Brentford would be willing to part ways with Carvalho permanently just yet, especially considering the fee they paid for him, with a loan move the more likely route.

The attacking-midfielder thrived in his few months on Humberside, and as he looks to find his fitness and form again, a loan switch to the Tigers could be an option this summer if they were to earn promotion to the top flight.

Sergej Jakirovic should plot a switch for Fabio Carvalho if he guides Hull City to the Premier League

Under difficult circumstances, Jakirovic has done a truly wonderful job at Hull.

Bringing in the likes of Oli McBurnie, Joe Gelhardt, Amir Hadziahmetovic, John Lundstram and Semi Ajayi to a squad already containing the likes of Ivor Pandur, Mohamed Belloumi, and Charlie Hughes has seen the Tigers sneek into a play-off place and potentially into the Premier League.

Regardless of what the outcome at Wembley is, it will be a gigantic summer for the Tigers, who will be up against it from minute one in the top flight, no doubt.

However, with faith in the current crop of players and Jakirovic at an all time high, there is little reason to doubt them, and adding Carvalho to the mix this summer would only serve to strengthen their position.