Kyle Joseph transfer truth emerges as Middlesbrough close in on £5m Hull City deal | OneFootball

The forward is set to move to the Riverside Stadium despite earning promotion with the Tigers.

Hull City may have won the battle of the Championship play-offs against Middlesbrough, but that has not stopped the latter from taking one of their players.

The Tigers edged out Boro 1-0 at Wembley Stadium in May and are preparing for their return to the Premier League, but issues with their finances are holding them back from making any serious moves.

Instead of incomings, it seems that Sergej Jakiriovic will face outgoings first, with Middlesbrough set to beat Millwall to the signing of forward Kyle Joseph.

The prospective deal caught many off guard, but now the truth has emerged about why Hull are selling one of their first-team regulars to the Teesside outfit.

Why are Hull City selling Kyle Joseph to Middlesbrough for £5m?

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Joseph was an ever-present member of Jakirovic's side last season, making 44 appearances in the regular campaign before playing a limited part in the play-offs due to injury.

His 13 goal contributions were the best figures of his entire career, and it seemed he would be set to remain at the MKM Stadium and play a part in Hull's Premier League survival bid.

However, now Graeme Bailey has reported that Boro and the Tigers are close to finalising a deal for the forward, with sources confirming to TEAMtalk that a deal will be around £5million.

He adds that Hull wanted to keep him, but the club's Financial Fair Play (FFP) situation means they need to sell players this month.

The Tigers were under a Championship transfer embargo since last summer, which has essentially been lifted now that they are a top-flight team.

Owner Acun Ilicali recently told a fans' forum that the club needed to raise £6m before the financial year is out, meaning they now have just days to complete the sale of Joseph while still needing to make around £1m more.

Why do Middlesbrough want Joseph?

Looking at Joseph's numbers as a forward player, many Boro supporters will be questioning whether he is really going to improve their side.

The 24-year-old scored eight goals last season, the same as Middlesbrough man David Strelec, while that figure falls short of Tommy Conway and Morgan Whittaker's numbers.

Joseph does offer far more than just his goals, though, and Kim Hellberg will be getting a player who will work hard for the team, with his five assists reflecting this.

What separates the Scot apart is his aerial ability, with the forward recording more headed shots and aerial duels won than any Championship player in his position last term, according to Fotmob.