Hull City v Reading - Jarrod Bowen and Kamil Grosicki just two of ‘six’ players whose futures are sorted

This week was no different, the Tigers bringing in four new faces on deadline day as Leonardo Da Silva Lopes, Callum Elder and Josh Magennis joined on permanent deals as Matthew Pennington arrived on loan.

Grant McCann, ahead of his home bow today, was delighted to get the late business done as the Northern Irishman looks to stamp his mark on the club.

With all due respect to the quartet, however, perhaps City’s best work came in retaining two members of their existing squad. Jarrod Bowen and Kamil Grosicki had no shortage of potential suitors this summer but the window slammed shut on Thursday with the duo still at the KCOM Stadium.

“Really pleased,” said McCann about the pair staying put. “But, to be fair to Ehab (Allam, vice chairman), he told me from day one that they would be here. I am really grateful for that.

“Both of them can settle down now. It is not easy as a player. I have been there when there is a lot of speculation surrounding you.

“You are not fully focused. You try to be but you are not.

“The both of them have been great since I have been here. They have knuckled down and got on with it.

“Now they can focus and realise that they are going to be Hull City players. I have spoken to both of them and they are fine.”

Bowen netted 22 Championship goals last term, while Grosicki scored nine and provided another dozen assists.

The duo will look to continue where they left off at the KCOM today when Reading are the visitors.

Asked if Bowen, in particular, was disappointed not to have left following a summer when he was the subject of speculation about a move to the Premier League, McCann replied: “Jarrod is 22 years of age and he has had two really good years.

“He has got everything in front of him, his whole life in front of him. There is no doubt he is going to play at the top level but, like I said to him this morning, he has just got to focus on himself.

“Focus on how many goals he can get before January and how many before the end of the season.

“Jarrod is really pleased about being at this club. Yes, there will have been seeds of doubt whether or not he would be but he is and he can focus on us.”

The quartet of deadline day signings may not feature today, McCann wanting to get them used to his pattern of play.

But he is delighted to bring in Da Silva Lopes, Elder and Magennis from Wigan Athletic, Leicester City and Bolton Wanderers respectively, along with Everton loanee Pennington.

“It has been very good,” added the City chief. “We have identified the ones we have wanted and got them. I have been really, really pleased.

“From the first time I walked into the club, it was really, really light and now we have got eight for four defensively, six or seven for three in midfield and the same in the forward area.”