HULL City defender Cathal McCarthy has signed a new five-year deal with the Premier League club - and immediately linked up with Scottish Premier League outfit Kilmarnock on a season-long loan.

The highly-regarded 19-year-old, who can also operate in midfield, came through the ranks at University College Dublin and penned a two-and-a-half year deal with the Tigers in February 2025 and his progress has been further rewarded with a new, long-term contract.

The teenager made eight appearances for the Tigers in all competitions last season before an injury sustained in April kept him out of Hull’s Championship play-off final run.

With the club having embarked on a significant recruitment spree so far in the close season and with a number of additional new arrivals also set to join between now and the summer deadline, the decision has been made to allow McCarthy to head out on loan for the next stage of his development.

Hull City defender Cathal McCarthy has joined Kilmarnock on a loan deal until the end of the season.

placeholder image — Hull City defender Cathal McCarthy has joined Kilmarnock on a loan deal until the end of the season.

The County Kildare born player was linked with a move to Killie's SPL rivals Aberdeen earlier this summer, while reports suggested that Hull turned down a bid from Nottingham Forest for the Ireland under-21 international.

McCarthy was also rumoured to be on the radar of other top-flight sides and a number of Championship and Scottish outfits.

He made his debut against Blackburn Rovers last August and was named as City's man-of-the-match when they beat Middlesbrough last Christmas - after coming on as a sixth-minute replacement for the injured Ryan Giles.