Amir Hadziahmetovic has dropped a major hint that his Hull City future remains wide open, with the Bosnian midfielder refusing to rule out staying at the MKM Stadium beyond this season.
The 29 year old is on loan from Besiktas. He’s under contract in Turkey until 2027. On paper, he goes back this summer. Simple, right?
Not so fast.
City are pushing for promotion. Seven games left. Maybe 10 if they sneak into the play offs and go all the way. And if they’re playing Premier League football next season, everything changes.
Hadziahmetovic knows it. He’s just not saying which way he’s leaning.
‘I haven’t thought about it’
That’s what he claims, anyway. But reading between the lines? He’s keeping his options very much open.
“Honestly, I don’t think about it,” the Danish born star told Hull Live. “In football, anything can happen. I can be in Turkey, maybe I can be in England, I can be here.”
Three options. Turkey. England. Or right where he is.
That’s not the answer of a man who’s already packed his bags.
He added: “You never know, so we’ll see at the end of the season. I just want to have a good end to the season. Hopefully successful, and then we’ll see.”
Growing into the Championship
Hadziahmetovic has played 36 times in league and cup this term. It hasn’t all been plain sailing. He admits the adaptation has been tough.
The biggest difference? Style of play.
“Here, there’s not much risk in playing from behind. So many long balls, many duels,” he said. “In Turkey, most of the teams try to play football; they try to play from the back. This is the biggest difference.”
He knew what he was signing up for, though. That’s why he came.
“I knew the league was like this. It was a challenge for me. I now see what the people told me, it’s not an easy league.”
Settling in
Off the pitch, it’s been easier. Hadziahmetovic is an easygoing bloke, by his own admission. And having Ivor Pandur around a fellow speaker of his language, has helped no end.
The coaches speak it too. Sergej Jakirovic and his staff. That makes the small details easier. The tactical tweaks. The instructions.
“It helps with the small details of the footballing things when they say it in my language, our language,” he said. “It’s much easier for them to express themselves.”
What happens now?
City are in the thick of the promotion race. If they go up, keeping Hadziahmetovic becomes a real possibility. Premier League football changes conversations. Changes budgets. Changes ambitions.
If they don’t? He probably goes back to Besiktas. Probably.
But he’s not committing to anything. Not yet. And in football, that’s as good as saying the door is still open.
Seven games left. Then we’ll know.
