Which Croatian player was involved in the failed transfer?

It has not been officially confirmed. Media speculate that it was either Marco Pašalić or Franjo Ivanović, with Toni Fruk also mentioned earlier.

How did the Hull president announce that the transfer had fallen through?

Acun Ilıcalı posts flags of countries from which he brings players on platform X. He placed an X mark next to the Croatian flag, symbolizing the breakdown of negotiations.

Was Franjo Ivanović close to signing for Hull?

According to media reports, Hull showed interest in Ivanović, but Portuguese sources claim he personally rejected the possibility of moving to the Premier League.

Which players has Hull managed to bring in this summer?

The arrivals of Jack Butland, Oscar Zambrano, Matt Targett, and Hidemasa Morita have been confirmed, along with players from six other countries.

Football

Croatian National Team Player's Transfer Falls Through

N.G. · Prije 2h | 2 min

English club president Acun Ilıcalı marked the arrival of a Croatian player with a cross on social media, and speculation is rife about which footballer it is.

Summary

Hull City president Acun Ilıcalı marked the Croatian flag with a cross on X, signaling the collapse of the transfer.
Media speculate that the arrival of Marco Pašalić or Franjo Ivanović to Sergej Jakirović's club has fallen through.
The transfer was 80 percent complete two weeks ago, but negotiations were suddenly broken off.
Hull has already brought in ten reinforcements from various parts of the world this summer.

The transfer of one of the Croatian footballers to Hull City, coached by Sergej Jakirović, has completely collapsed. Club president Acun Ilıcalı is known for his unusual social media posts in which, without naming names, he signals the progress of negotiations using national flags. In his latest post on August 4, 2026, alongside the Croatian tricolor, an X mark appeared, unequivocally indicating a failed deal.

This news comes just two weeks after the same president posted on X that the transfer of an unnamed Croatian was 80 percent complete. Now, it seems, he has backed out entirely. The situation is further confirmed by a subsequent post by Ilıcalı in which Croatia is no longer mentioned as an option for reinforcement.

Who Was on the Brink of the Premier League?

Although Ilıcalı never reveals the identity of his targets, Croatian and regional media have been speculating for weeks about two main candidates. According to Sportske novosti, the most likely options were Marco Pašalić and Franjo Ivanović. Index.hr, on the other hand, reports that it was previously assumed that Pašalić was the one whose transfer was nearing completion, but now that deal has definitively fallen through for unknown reasons.

On the other hand, Franjo Ivanović was mentioned in the context of Hull's interest, but without concrete progress. Portuguese media even wrote that Ivanović himself had rejected the possibility of moving to the Premier League, weighing between the English club and Spain's Real Betis. In addition to these two, Toni Fruk was also mentioned earlier as a potential reinforcement for Jakirović's squad, but that lead proved to be the coldest.

A Busy Summer at Hull

Hull City has been extremely active in the market this summer. In addition to the failed Croatian transfer, Ilıcalı confirmed in the same post the arrivals of as many as ten players from around the world. Among them are Jack Butland, Oscar Zambrano, Matt Targett, and Hidemasa Morita, while the remaining reinforcements were presented only with the flags of their countries: Greece, Norway, Senegal, Australia, Sweden, and Jamaica.

It is clear that the ambitious club owner is not resting, but Croatian fans were eagerly awaiting news of a compatriot who would strengthen the ranks of the former Dinamo coach. For now, that story has no happy ending.