Hull City secure Brighton left-back James Furlong
James Furlong in action for Ireland Credit: Robert Goggins (ETPhotos)
Hull City has completed the signing of left-back James Furlong from Premier League outfit Brighton & Hove Albion.
The 21-year-old's transfer fee remains undisclosed, but he has committed to a three-year contract at the MKM Stadium. Additionally, Hull City retains an option to extend his contract by a further year.
With a stint at the Scottish Premiership side Motherwell last season, Furlong has accumulated valuable first-team experience, making a total of 15 starts and one substitute appearance.
Before his time in Scotland, he got a taste of senior football at Brighton during a Carabao Cup match against Forest Green Rovers in August 2022.
Furlong also got game time with Albion’s Under-21s in the EFL Trophy, where he featured eight times.
His journey in professional football started quite early. Hailing from Dublin, Furlong debuted for the League of Ireland's Shamrock Rovers at just 16 years of age. He then transitioned to Brighton in July 2019.
Expressing his enthusiasm for the new recruit, Hull City's head coach Liam Rosenior said, “I’m delighted. He’s someone our recruitment team were excited about and we’ve moved really quickly to secure him."
He added, “He’s someone with a lot of potential and went on loan to Motherwell and did really well. We’re looking to develop assets at our football club and James has got real quality that I can’t wait to work with."
Rosenior also emphasized Furlong's compatibility with Hull City's playstyle, pointing out his "fantastic left foot, great engine, and natural quality in getting forward."
Concluding his remarks on the signing, Rosenior highlighted the club's growing reputation for nurturing young talent: “We’re starting to gain a reputation as a club that want to develop young players, improve them and give them a chance."
