Hull City chairman Acun Ilicali ‘would not sell Keane Lewis-Potter for £30m’ amid interest from West Ham, Southampton, Brentford and Bournemouth

HULL CITY chairman Acun Ilicali insists that he would turn down a £30m offer for in-demand winger Keane Lewis-Potter.

Four Premier League clubs – West Ham, Southampton, Brentford and newly-promoted Bournemouth – have expressed their interest in the England Under-21 winger.

Ilicali wants the 21-year-old to stay and spearhead a promotion charge with his hometown club.

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On Lewis-Potter, who the club are speaking to regarding a longer-term contract alongside highly-rated defender Jacob Greaves, Ilicali said: “Keane is like God’s gift to us.

Hull City's Keane Lewis-Potter will be in big demand this summer.  Picture: Tony JohnsonHull City's Keane Lewis-Potter will be in big demand this summer.  Picture: Tony Johnson
Hull City's Keane Lewis-Potter will be in big demand this summer. Picture: Tony Johnson

“He has extreme potential. Of course, we have had big offers for him.

“But if I put myself to Keane’s position, it will be much, much better to spend it at a team playing all the games and showing his talent more with a team which is his hometown. He is one of us and has a special feeling for this club more than most of the players.

“He is an incredible talent and I think he is going to be one of the biggest stars in the future.

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“If I had any percentage of interest in making any money, there cannot be any better deal than that.

“You buy a football club and you sell the left winger and have enough money to make all the transfers. But I reject all this.

“Even if they offered £30million, this year I will not sell him. His presence is much more important than anything for this club.

“We are going to bring in transfers and good players. But this guy has scored so many goals and created so many chances for a team which is not in the highest level in the table.

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“Think about Keane in a team which is fighting for the Premier League.”

Meanwhile, Ilicali confirmed that a deal to bring in Malian international midfielder Adama Traore, 26, who is out of contract with Turkish Super Lig side Hatayspor, is ‘almost done’.

The club hope to bring in three or four players before their pre-season training camp in early July and three after, Ilicali said.

Young forward Allahyar Sayyadmanesh, who spent the second half of the season at Hull on loan from Turkish side Fenerbahce, will be one of the initial arrivals, according to the Tigers supremo.

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