Nigel Adkins wants Hull City to move towards less transfer activity

David Meyler’s revelation earlier this week, via social media site Twitter, that the Tigers had failed to take up the option of extending his contract by 12 months signalled the beginning of the end for the Irishman in the East Riding.

His exit, however, is unlikely to be the only one come the close season with Allan McGregor, Michael Dawson, Abel Hernandez and Adama Diomande also into the final few months of their own deals with no sign of possible extensions.

With a question mark remaining over the future of Moses Odubajo after 19 months out with a devastating knee injury, Jarrod Bowen, at just 21, could feasibly be Hulls longest-serving player come August.

Even that is subject to Bowen, a shining light in another desperate season for Hull, not being lured away by any of his many potential suitors in the meantime.

For Adkins, currently embroiled in a relegation battle, such a scenario is far from ideal.

“It doesn’t help any team when we move forward,” said the Tigers’ chief, whose side’s scheduled fixture at Ipswich Town fell victim to the Arctic weather.

“Stability is important, when you have got a structure in place that helps so you are not swapping and changing, making 10 or 11 signings every window. That is no good to anyone.

“All being well there is a plan I want to have in place that gives us a structure so that in every window we are only making two or three changes and not the eight or nine.”

Last summer, of course, saw a host of big names depart the KCOM following relegation from the Premier League.

Head coach Marco Silva was followed out the door by most of his January signings while Andrew Robertson, Harry Maguire, Sam Clucas, Tom Huddlestone and Curtis Davies also left.

The anticipated departures of the remaining big earners come the summer will further trim a wage bill that stood at a mammoth £61m in the Premier League, even allowing for the salaries handed to the replacements brought in by Leonid Slutsky.

“All football clubs have to cut their cloth accordingly, which is sensible,” added Adkins. “That is an important thing as it means what is generated in the football club is utilised in the right manner.

“But you have got to give yourself a chance to be successful as well. The Championship this season has got a lot of teams who have been in the Premier League before and they view that as where they should be again.

“They are all striving for that and a lot of clubs will push the boundaries.

“At some stage there has got to be a stage where you cut your cloth accordingly.

“Steve Wharton, my old chairman at Scunthorpe, used to say that to me. I was always trying to push and improve what we had, but he would tell me, ‘we have got to cut our cloth accordingly’. That is an important message across the board.”