Richie Smallwood heads Hull City departures but George Honeyman and Mallik Wilks stay on

It shows how ambitious the Tigers are to push the club on that they have released Smallwood, who made 42 Championship appearances this season, all but two from the start.

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The club had an option to extend the former Middlesbrough and Rotherham United midfielder's deal by 12 months but decided not to with him, Tom Eaves and Tom Huddlestone. They have taken up similar options with Honeyman, Wilks, goalkeeper Matt Ingram and defenders Callum Elder and Josh Emmanuel, however.

Smallwood was named club captain as soon as he joined from Blackburn Rovers two summers ago, and led Hull to the League One title in his debut campaign.

Combative centre-forward Eaves had a cult following amongst Tigers fans. He scored 18 goals in 108 appearances, including an FA Cup hat-trick against Rotherham.

Former England international Huddlestone is one of the club's great players as a result of his first spell, from 213 to 2017, but only made four starts this season having joined from Derby County, where he had been frozen out.

His departure was already known about.

Honeyman has been a key member of the squad since joining from Sunderland but after a prolific League One campaign, Wilks has been anything but this season. Hampered by injury, the Leeds-born player has been restricted to 17 Championship starts and three goals.

Even though he is yet to start a game under coach Shota Arveladze, who took over in January, the former Rangers striker clearly believes in the 23-year-old, who has also played for Doncaster Rovers and Barnsley.

Ingram was allowed to join Luton Town on an emergency loan at the end of the season after a see-saw battle with fellow goalkeeper Nathan Baxter under Arveladze, but the latter was only on loan from Chelsea.

Big changes are expected this summer after owner Acun Ilicali bought the club in the final days of the January transfer window, replacing coach Grant McCann with Arveladze.

Reports in Turkey claim an agreement has been reached in principal to sign Hatayspor's Mali midfielder Adama Traore on a free transfer.

Traore was an ever-present at the African Cup of Nations but injuries have prevented him from playing club football since.

The 26-year-old , who played Champions League football for Monaco, is expected to sign a two-year contract with the option of a 12-month extension.