Hull City wasted precious seven-figure fee despite overwhelming backing of deal | OneFootball

Allahyar Sayyadmanesh flattered to deceive in East Yorkshire

January 2022 marked the start of a new era for Hull City, as Acun Ilicali completed his takeover of the football club.

The Turkish media mogul acquired the Tigers for a reported £30m sum, and in doing so, brought the previously fractious relationship between supporters and the Allam family at the MKM Stadium to a close.

On the pitch, City was in the midst of its first season back in the Championship, having regained its second-tier status at the first attempt. Grant McCann and his side made amends for a dismal 2019/20 campaign, becoming League One champions the following year. Consolidating back in the second tier was the club's next priority.

Prior to Ilicali's purchase of the club, there was a wave of positivity mounting in East Yorkshire as the self-confessed Fenerbahçe supporter began attending matches in HU3, with Hull losing just three games in nine ahead of the Turk's first match as chairman - a 2-0 success over Blackburn Rovers in front of the Sky Sports cameras.

McCann's final game in charge was also one to remember, as a Ryan Longman thunderbolt gave City a pivotal three points against eventual promotion winners Bournemouth before a change in the dugout was made, and the appointment of Shota Arveladze would start a completely different trajectory and philosophy in East Yorkshire.

The Georgian and Ilicali would only have four days to make necessary changes to the squad, and whilst huge hype surrounded an initial loan deal for the 'Iranian Messi', Allahyar Sayyadmanesh, City supporters would go on to be underwhelmed by his overall spell at the club.

Allahyar Sayyadmanesh showed initial signs of promise for Hull City

The attacker would be one of five additions made to the Tigers' ranks in the final days of the winter window, with Marcus Forss and Liam Walsh also joining on loan from Brentford and Swansea City respectively, whilst Regan Slater returned on a permanent deal from Sheffield United, and the aforementioned Longman's temporary switch from Brighton would also be converted into a long-term deal.

Despite being on the books of Fenerbahçe since 2019, the big deal surrounding Sayyadmanesh were his prior performances on loan at Ukrainian Premier League outfit Zorya Luhansk across 2020/21, where the eight-time international was named in the division's Best XI.

Overall, the versatile frontman would accumulate 15 goals and seven assists in 50 appearances for Zorya so there was an expectation that he could go on to have a similar impact in Black and Amber, with City sat in 18th place at the time of his arrival.

The then 20-year-old would be handed his debut with a brief cameo against Preston North End, and after a spell on the sidelines and five more substitute appearances, Sayyadmanesh was eventually given a first start in a 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough in April 2022.

A week later, the Iranian would be rewarded for his efforts and perseverance with the opening goal in a 2-1 victory over Cardiff City which confirmed Hull's safety in the second tier, nipping in ahead of Mark McGuinness, before rounding the onrushing Dillon Phillips and tapping into an empty net.

Sayyadmanesh would then lead the line in the remaining five games of the campaign as Arveladze's men went on to finish a comfortable 14 points above the drop zone before the squad underwent a mass transformation.

In a bid to make instant progress up the table, Ilicali and Arveladze made a total of 16 signings, with many statement additions such as Jean Michael Seri, who won the division with Fulham just months beforehand, Turkish international Ozan Tufan, Monaco's Adama Traore and Oscar Estupinan among others.

Alongside the plethora of fresh faces was the returning Sayyadmanesh, who was acquired from the Istanbul-based side for a reported £4.5m fee, signing a four-year deal with the option of a fifth year, with City fans ecstatic at the time after confirming the permanent move for their latest fans' favourite.

However, the Iranian wouldn't be able to justify such a price tag, becoming a divisive figure among the fanbase, as some believed in his eventual potential whilst others were critical regarding his output and fitness.

He would start the first four games of the 2022/23 season as Hull got off to a bright start, before a hamstring issue ruled the wide man out of action until Boxing Day, with Liam Rosenior now at the helm after taking over from Arveladze in November.

Prior to his return to full fitness, the forward had made an instant impression on his new boss, who stated: "I love him! I love him already, what a lovely lad and what a character," ahead of his return to action against Blackpool.

After a three-game stint which included an assist for Jacob Greaves in a 4-1 rout over Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium, Sayyadmanesh's luckless campaign would continue as he was ruled out for the following eight encounters with a reoccurrence of the same injury.

The forward would go on to enjoy a relative purple patch towards the end of an inconsistent collective and personal campaign, with a smart finish in a pulsating 4-4 draw with Sunderland and a neat header in defeat to Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium.

With Hull adding further quality in wide areas in the summer of 2023, such as the £5m signing of Jaden Philogene from Aston Villa, it was always going to be challenging for Sayyadmanesh to force his way into contention, and that showed with just six substitute appearances in the Championship as well as two starts in the FA Cup against Birmingham City.

Rosenior had already hinted prior to the winter window of 2024 that the man who had attracted interest from Europe and the MLS was to depart, and whilst a loan move was initially expected, the winger would eventually make a permanent exit to KVC Westerlo of the Belgian Pro League.

After struggling to make an immediate impact at the Het Kuipje in the closing months of last season, Sayyadmanesh has found his rhythm once more in the first half of the current campaign, registering double figures in goal contributions for 'De Kemphanen' in over 20 league appearances.

Whilst Tigers fans will be pleased that the 23-year-old is enjoying a fruitful campaign on the continent, like a number of deals made in the past three years, the Iranian will always come under the category of 'underwhelming' for many.