Football
PA Sport 7y

Hull City's Slutsky believes Russian fans will support club by the 'millions'

Hull head coach Leonid Slutsky believes his appointment as the first Russian manager in English football could swell the club's overseas followers by millions.

Slutsky, 46, who aims to steer the Tigers straight back to the Premier League after replacing Marco Silva last month and is a good friend of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, enjoys a high profile in Russia.

He won three domestic titles in charge of CSKA Moscow and was head coach of Russia's national team during Euro 2016.

"English football is very popular in Russia,'' said Slutsky when formally introduced to the media on Wednesday. "The first [overseas] tournament [shown] by Russian TV companies was the English Premier League. It's really popular in Russia.

"I'm a coach, I don't have a team, but of course when Mr Abramovich bought Chelsea a lot of Russians supported them and I'm not an exception.''

When asked if more Russians would now be supporting Hull, Slutsky said: "Yes, 100 percent. I don't know how many [Russian] supporters there will be on the stands because it's difficult.

"But maybe energy from TV, I think now. In Russia there are 150 million people and I think 50 percent will be supporting Hull City.''

Slutsky, who said he needs "six or seven'' new recruits, is confident of securing a player on loan from Chelsea early next week.

"We are speaking about some players on loan and maybe we will have information because we need to do it before our trip to Portugal [next Tuesday],'' he said.

"It's not easy, it's a very difficult process, but believe me, now we are very close to some players.''

Chelsea's Tomas Kalas has been reported to be one of Slutsky's main targets, but the Czech Republic international is wanted by Fulham, where he spent last season on loan. Hull have also been linked with Cardiff striker Kenneth Zohore.

Slutsky said he needed a minimum of two central defenders, a right-back, a left-back, a winger and a striker.

"We have a list of players we are interested in for our club and in this list each player is very serious, very talented and it's not easy,'' he said.

"But when we have official information yes, you will know. I think it will be six or seven players.''

Slutsky was dealt a blow just hours after his press conference when Stoke announced the signing of highly-rated defender Josh Tymon.

The Tigers confirmed Tymon, who made his senior breakthrough last season, had turned down their new contract offer and left the club with immediate effect.

Hull sold central defenders Curtis Davies and Harry Maguire last month, to Derby and Leicester respectively, the latter in a £12 million deal that could rise to £17m with add-ons.

Slutsky faces a tough task hanging on to other players, with Andrew Robertson, Sam Clucas, Tom Huddlestone, Ahmed Elmohamady and Kamil Grosicki all recently linked with moves away from the KCOM Stadium.

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