Championship club targeting shock move for 36-year-old ex-Arsenal veteran 12 years on from loan transfer spell
HULL are looking into a shock move for veteran keeper Vito Mannone — 12 seasons after his second loan spell with the Tigers.
Mannone, 36, is a target for the Humberside club who currently plays in France with Lille.
Hull are looking to add to their goalkeeping ranks after selling Ryan Allsop to Birmingham and Matt Ingram to Oxford.
Mannone has been used sparingly making only six appearances, three of those coming in the Europa Conference League, for the Ligue 1 outfit.
A move to Hull could provide him with one last opportunity for first-team football – but a fee has not been drawn up yet.
The Italian was an Arsenal hopeful before being loaned out to the Tigers in 2010 after being an understudy to Wojciech Szczesny.
He played 31 times in two stints with the Tigers, and has a year left on his deal in Northern France.
But he’s readiness could be called into question after being limited to a mere 50 appearances in the past five seasons.
His Championship record speaks for itself, with the former Gunners keeper conceding just 99 goals in 80 appearances.
Currently, they have Ivor Pandur, Timothee Lo-Tutala and Harvey Cartwright as all possible options, ahead of their season opener against Bristol City next week.
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But none of them have ever played second-tier football before.
Speaking after Saturday’s 2-0 loss at Reading in their final friendly of the summer, boss Tim Walter admitted again that the goalkeeping position was an area to strengthen, as was everywhere else.
He said: “We can talk especially about this player or this position, but we need players in every position we need a progression.
“I have to wait and I have to stay strong and it’s what I did but losing games, I’m not happy about it.”
Vito Mannone’s impressive career
After finishing his second spell at Hull, Mannone signed a two-year contract with Sunderland for an undisclosed fee.
The shot-stopper was then picked up by Reading for £2million on a three-year deal.
But in January 2019, he joined MLS side Minnesota United on a one-year loan – winning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year for his troubles.
He’s since been shipped around three different Ligue 1 clubs – first joining Monaco, before Lorient and then Lille on a permanent deal in August 2023.
