Plymouth Argyle & Barnsley join Bristol Rovers in race to sign Hull City player | OneFootball

Hull City starlet Calvin Okike is a target for Plymouth Argyle and Barnsley as well as Bristol Rovers, Oldham Athletic, and Port Vale...

Hull City's Calvin Okike is a target for League One duo Barnsley and Plymouth Argyle, as well as League Two outfits like Bristol Rovers.

Bristol Rovers are among the favourites for promotion under Steve Evans from League Two, while both Plymouth Argyle and Barnsley will be hoping to gain promotion from League One this season.

Hull City have been promoted in 2026, but their promotion to the Premier League means many of their fringe players are even further down the pecking order. That should see exits on permanent and loan deals before the end of the summer transfer window.

Hull City interest in Calvin Okeke grows from League One and League Two clubs

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According to The Daily Mail, Hull have a rising young prospect called Calvin Okike, with the 18-year-old being eyed for a loan move by numerous EFL clubs for the 2026/27 season.

Ryan Giles, Matty Jacob, Cody Drameh, and new boys Matt Targett and Nobel Mendy can all operate at left-back for the Tigers, with the 18-year-old option to sign professional terms with the club earlier this summer.

Okike is a left-back and he penned a two-year deal with the option of a third, despite being closely monitored by several top Premier League clubs. He has also done well in pre-season working with the first-team.

Prior to that, he largely featured for the U-21s last season but was an unused substitute in Championship fixtures last term. In fact, Okike had a loan spell at National League club Hartlepool United this year, scoring within a minute of his senior debut.

He featured in Hull's recent friendly victories over Turkish sides Konyaspor and Caykur Rizespor after he won the academy player of the year award last season.

That is drawing attention from League One sides Barnsley and Plymouth, while Bristol Rovers have been joined by Port Vale and Oldham Athletic in registering interest from League Two.

Calvin Okeke's career stats so far as Hull weigh up loan move

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The 18-year-old Nigerian defender Okike is tipped for a bright future at Hull and it was perhaps thought that he would be looking to push on into the first-team this campaign.

Okike looks like a player who would benefit enormously from another loan spell, albeit at a higher level. The 18-year-old is yet to make his senior debut for the Tigers and, despite featuring in their first-team environment, regular Premier League opportunities are unlikely to be plentiful.

With League One and League Two clubs already showing interest, a season of consistent senior football could accelerate his development far more than sporadic appearances from the bench. At his age, playing every week should be the priority, allowing him to build confidence and experience before attempting to establish himself at Hull.

Why League Two should be best for Calvin Okeke

A loan move should not necessarily be viewed as a step backwards for a young player. In some cases, dropping to a level where he can play every week, build confidence, and learn the demands of senior football can be far more beneficial than moving too high too soon and struggling for minutes.

Tottenham have taken this approach with players such as Dane Scarlett, whose loan career has included League One and Championship football before another move to Hibernian.

Players going too high for their first senior loan often struggle and Hull could therefore consider League Two as the best for Okike, even with Plymouth and Barnsley among clubs reportedly interested in him. Bristol Rovers or Port Vale or Oldham should be his first EFL loan.

A season of regular starts could do wonders for his development, while Hull could reassess his level in January rather than rushing him into an environment where he barely plays. League One might be his current level, but League Two should be where he is sent to build up confidence and ensure he plays as many minutes as possible.