Sheffield United, Derby County and Middlesbrough eyeing Hull City star | OneFootball

Tigers midfielder Regan Slater is on the radar of four second-tier sides ahead of the summer window

Hull City midfielder Regan Slater is reportedly being targeted by numerous fellow Championship clubs, including former side Sheffield United, ahead of a potential move in the summer transfer window.

Sheffield-born Slater was a product of United's youth set-up, and captained some of their academy sides before he made his first-team debut in 2016 and became the youngest player to score in his first game for the club at 17-years-old.

The central midfielder only went on to play two more senior games for the Blades, amid lower-league loan spells at Carlisle United and Scunthorpe United, before he helped Hull win the League One title in 2021 and made a permanent move to the KCOM Stadium in January 2022.

Slater has been a key man in the Championship for the Tigers over the last three years, but their potential relegation back to the third-tier this season could open the door for a summer exit, with numerous clubs seemingly interested in his services.

Hull City's

Hull have struggled near the bottom of the second-tier this term, and while Slater's performances have not been as strong as in previous seasons, he has still managed to make 40 appearances in all competitions so far, with 30 league starts and a goal and assist each.

When he is at the top of his game, his quality at Championship level is clear to see, and so it is no surprise that numerous second-tier clubs are interested in securing his signature this summer if the Tigers are relegated.

Sportsboom have claimed that former club Sheffield United, along with Middlesbrough, Stoke City and Derby County, are all tracking him ahead of this summer's transfer window.

The 25-year-old is believed to have been on the Blades' radar last summer, after they were relegated from the Premier League, but while a move never materialised back then, it seems like former boss Chris Wilder is still a keen admirer of his talents.

Slater is likely to assess his options if the Tigers do fail to avoid the drop this season, according to Sportsboom, and with just a year left on his deal in the summer, Hull may well be open to a sale to make some money on his services before he is able to leave for free from January 2026.

Hull need to stay up to have any chance of keeping Slater

It is fair to say that the Tigers will be resigned to losing a lot of their key men this summer if they are preparing for a return to the third-tier, and Slater is no different, given that he has been a regular in the Championship for the last three-and-a-half seasons.

Ruben Selles' side are in a precarious position in the second-tier as it stands, with just three points and two places separating them and Derby in the bottom three, who also have a game in hand and could close the gap with a win over Preston North End in midweek.

Hull have just seven games to preserve their Championship status, with key fixtures that they need to take maximum points from against the likes of Swansea City, Derby and Portsmouth on the final day of the campaign.

In terms of Slater's future, while he has proven himself to be a solid Championship player at the KCOM Stadium, any move back to his former club Sheffield United would surely hinge on their own league status, as it seems an unlikely switch if they are to win promotion to the top-flight.

Middlesbrough are in a similar position, albeit fighting for play-offs rather than automatic promotion, while both Stoke and Derby are, much like Hull, in with a genuine chance of being relegated to League One this season. His status at the Tigers is certainly one to keep an eye on, and there are numerous factors that could change to determine his next move over the next month.