Hull City are closing in on the loan signing of Liverpool youngster Ben Doak. The Scottish youth international managed to rack up just four first-team appearances last season, so a campaign of regular first-team minutes will certainly aid his development.
It was reported earlier this month that following talks with Arne Slot and Richard Hughes, Doak would be allowed to leave on loan. This move to Hull may well have accelerated in the last few hours given Federico Chiesa has now been announced as a new Liverpool player.
Ben Doak closing in on Hull switch
Doak was signed from Celtic’s youth sides back in 2022, and still only 18 years of age he has a lot to offer on Merseyside. However, as things stand he will find it very difficult to get any sort of meaningful minutes in the first team.
So, a very sensible decision appears to have been made at Anfield to let Doak leave on loan for the season and play first-team games. A move to Hull would be a sensible one for the young Scottish star given the Tigers have aspirations of promotion after narrowly missing out on the play-offs last campaign.
According to the Liverpool source, DaveOCKOP, Hull have now agreed a deal with Liverpool to take Doak on loan for the remainder of the season. The youngster is very capable of playing off either wing, so should prove to be a valuable squad player.
Doak’s development should not be stagnated
Having just got a taste of first-team action last season, Doak will now be itching to play every week if he can. So, a loan into the Championship does not only show his ability at such a tender age but should allow him to continue developing.
The worst thing that Liverpool could’ve done with Doak, was to keep him on the fringes of the first team, while not giving him minutes in Premier League 2 either. So, knowing he’ll be heading to an ambitious club will allow the Reds to rest easy.
Why have Hull moved for Doak?
Despite enjoying a stunning season last time out under former boss Liam Rosenior, the Tigers have looked a bit toothless in the opening weeks. They sit fourth bottom for goals scored (two) and 17th for XG (FBRef) so reinforcements were needed before deadline day.
With Doak available from Liverpool, then a straight loan deal should work out perfectly for all parties. The Scottish youth star will be keen to show his talents at both his parent club and Hull City, while the Tigers are desperate for some creativity in the final third.
Despite his limited game time in first-team football, the praise Doak has received is very complimentary. The youngster has previously been labelled as the ‘Sottish Rooney‘ for his ability at Celtic which resembled that of the England legend.