Championship outfit Hull City have completed the permanent signing of Brighton and Hove Albion wide man Ryan Longman for a £700,000 fee, as per The Athletic (31/1; 2:05pm).

The 21-year-old has been an integral part of the Tigers' plans this term, arriving on a loan deal from the Amex Stadium during the summer when the club were still under a transfer embargo and establishing himself as one of the first names on the teamsheet in recent months.

It was unclear as to whether the second-tier side were going to be able to make this deal a permanent move when he first arrived, due to the embargo caused by the previous owners taking out a loan from the Premier League and EFL to manage the costs of the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, the arrival of new shareholder Acun Ilicali has completely changed the Tigers' transfer policy, with the Turkish businessman paying off the loan owed to the PL/EFL and with that, enabling the club to spend in the latter stages of this month.

Although the imminent £5m arrival of Allayhar Sayyadmanesh catches the eye, many Hull fans will be just as delighted to see Longman sign for the club on a longer-term agreement after seeing him make 19 Championship appearances this term, recording three goals and four assists in the process.

He thrived as a wing-back under previous boss Grant McCann, proving to be a crucial figure under the Northern Irishman and looks set to be important for Shota Arveladze after starting in the Georgian's first game in charge last weekend.

The Verdict:

Ilicali may want to make a statement of intent with big-money signings, but making this addition is more important and is a fantastic deal for just six figures considering how important he's been for the second-tier club.

Not only is this the sort of signing that allows Hull to abide by the EFL's profit and sustainability rules quite comfortably, but they may even be able to sell him on for a much bigger fee in the coming years.

That will allow the ambitious Tigers to operate sustainably and even if they don't end up cashing in on him, he has the ability to benefit the club on the pitch with his superb performances.

Much like Regan Slater, Longman is only young so there's plenty of room for improvement for both of them and this is the sort of squad they should be building. Whilst experienced heads are needed in there too, a young, hungry squad for Arveladze to work with would be perfect for him.

This addition also raises questions about the other loanees. Although Matt Smith is unlikely to sign permanently, Di'Shon Bernard and Nathan Baxter could be on their radar and considering neither two are likely to be big players for Manchester United or Chelsea next term, a longer-term deal could be in the offing.