Hull City Reward Jakirović With New Deal After Perfect Premier League Start
Hull City head coach Sergej Jakirović has signed a new two-year contract with the newly promoted club, following his guidance of the Tigers to a perfect start to their return to the Premier League.
The 49-year-old’s new deal will keep him at the MKM Stadium until the summer of 2028, with the club holding an option to extend it by a further 12 months through the 2028/29 season. The extension was confirmed in a club statement released on Friday.
Jakirović has overseen a remarkable turnaround since taking charge in June 2025, steering Hull from the brink of relegation in his first season in English football to Premier League promotion.
His impressive form has continued in the top flight, with Hull winning their opening two league matches without conceding a single goal. The Tigers began their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Manchester United at the MKM Stadium, before following up with a 1-0 win away to Coventry City.
PUNCH Online reports that Jakirović and Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta are the only two of the four managers who won their opening two Premier League matches to have also kept clean sheets in both games. Chelsea’s Xabi Alonso and Manchester City’s Enzo Maresca also opened their campaigns with two straight wins.
Hull’s opening-day victory over Manchester United carried extra significance, marking their first league win over the Red Devils in 52 years.
The club noted that Jakirović averaged 1.58 points per game during his debut Championship campaign, guiding Hull to a play-off place on the final day of the regular season following a 2-1 win over Norwich City.
He went on to lead the Tigers past Millwall in the semi-finals, before beating Middlesbrough in the play-off final at Wembley. Jakirović secured promotion with three consecutive clean sheets, becoming only the third Hull City manager to lead the club to the Premier League via the play-offs.
Reflecting on his new contract, Jakirović said: “I have felt the support from the club and our fans from the minute I arrived, so I am delighted that this journey will continue. Hull feels like my home and I’m excited for this journey to continue.
“Promotion to the Premier League is a dream come true. You have to believe in your work and we have a special group here who are sticking together as a family. We have shown in our first games of the season that we can compete at this level and be dangerous.
“We will, of course, continue to work hard and perform in a way that makes our supporters proud.”
Hull City chairman Acun Ilıcalı also expressed his delight at retaining the coach.
“From the first day we met, it was clear that we had a special relationship. Everyone at the club believes that Sergej is a high-quality coach and it is a big privilege to have him here.
“He is the perfect coach for our vision and, having experienced last season together, we created some amazing moments at Wembley. I thank him for that.
“We are happy that Sergej is happy here. This is a special day for us, and we look forward to our journey continuing together in the Premier League,” Ilıcalı said.
Jakirović was appointed in June 2025 and has now been rewarded with a long-term commitment after guiding Hull from the threat of relegation to the top flight, and making an immediate impact upon their return after a 10-year absence.
