Lichaj and Irvine part of Hull’s absent five

HULL CITY’S bid to avoid relegation has taken a huge blow after it was revealed that four players, including captain Eric Lichaj and vice-captain Jackson Irvine, have played their final games for the club, while Mallik Wilks will only feature in two more this season.

Lichaj and Irvine are out of contract on June 30, along with Stephen Kingsley. They and loanee Marcus Maddison have not agreed to stay beyond that, while Barnsley have unexpectedly blocked Wilks from staying longer.

While the winger will feature in Saturday’s crucial game at home to Charlton Athletic and the following week’s trip to Birmingham City, the Tigers have announced the other four will not play for them again this season.

There is still some wriggle room to be had, with clubs given until next Tuesday (June 23) to reach agreement with their outof-contract players, but it seems Hull have imposed their own earlier deadline so they can go into the run-in knowing what they have available.

Jon Toral, Kevin Stewart, Dan Batty, Angus MacDonald, Robbie McKenzie and Will Mannion have all signed short-term extensions since the squad emerged from lockdown, while Josh Bowler, Matthew Pennington and Herbie Kane’s loans have been extended until the end of July.

Former Leeds defender Lichaj was a key player at the KCOM Stadium, making 64 league starts since joining two years ago, and it looked like the suspension of matches due to the coronavirus pandemic might give him the chance to complete a campaign Hull feared might be over because of injury. Australian midfielder Irvine, who made 97 league starts was handed the armband in his absence.